Prompt Requests
by wordslinger
Summary: Prompt requests from the ColorOfYourHair tumblr page. Various requested Jerza. Complete/Requests closed.
1. Northern Lights

**Requests are currently on hiatus.**

* * *

 _ **"Kite5203 asked: Can you please do jerza werewolf au please if your not busy also can you make it were erza is the wolf"**_

 _ **I've adopted a similar style of wolf as The Wolves of Mercy Falls by Maggie Stiefvater. When looking at a map of Earth Land I could not believe Mashima named his north country "Iceberg." Upon deeper googling I found a map that called it "Isenberg" and decided that was much less offensive. Sorry, Mashima, but really? "Iceberg?" No.**_

* * *

 **Northern Lights**

* * *

 _-3 celsius, March_

Lucy warned him the lights wouldn't be visible until April but Jellal needed a break. The city grated on him in winter and even if the timing was too early to see the solar flares he couldn't have left civilization _soon enough_. The cabin belonged to Lucy, and he was grateful for the opportunity. He needed the data for his research and she'd been happy to hand over the keys.

 _"I can already tell this baby is just like his father and hates the cold,"_ she'd said with a smile. Jellal was happy for his long-time partner but the way she nested – even in the lab – was starting to drive him up the wall. By the time he returned home in July, the baby would be born and hopefully Lucy's erratic hormones would level out.

Unlike Lucy, Jellal was neither married nor on the path to parenthood. Relationships were elusive things he had a hard time holding onto. Nothing captivated his attention more than the heavens. His last romance had ended in tears, on her part, and he'd been told that one day he'd finally pry his gaze from the stars to find himself grey and alone. The accusation hurt at first but then he'd become distracted, _again_.

Isenberg was a mostly frigid country. Even in March the snow sparkled in any sunlight that made it's way from behind the clouds that hovered. Next month, though, the skies would clear and solar flares would fill the darkness with color. Lucy made him promise to try and take off his scientist goggles and appreciate the beauty. He'd _try_.

Despite the cold, Jellal enjoyed the deck. The view of the surrounding forest was prefect for staring into while concentrating on his work. The area was partly covered and positioned in such a way that it remained generally free of snow but Jellal still opted for the thicker boots. It was just before sunset when he saw the wolf.

She was an oddity. Her red fur wasn't typical of the northern regions and the color stood out against the evergreen and pristine blanket of snow. She stared at him from just his side of the tree line. He wondered if she'd lost her pack. Jellal's eyes scanned the visible forest for other wolves, but she seemed to be alone. He didn't know why he'd jumped to the conclusion it was a female but somehow it felt right.

Clouds kept the moon from view but Jellal could tell when she'd gone.

* * *

The red wolf left tracks in the snow surrounding the cabin. She never approached while he was present but had taken the liberty of sniffing out the property in his absence. Jellal drove into the nearby town for supplies on a weekly basis. He appreciated the anonymity of the cabin and no one ever asked too many questions of him. In fact the shop keeper never spoke to him about anything other than purchases until Jellal mentioned the wolf.

"A red wolf?" The older man ruffled his thinning hair and shook his head. "You sure you didn't see a fox? They're all over around here. Especially now."

"No, it was too big to be a fox. I've seen tracks, too. Has to be a wolf."

"Well if it's traps you're after, probably –"

"Uh, no. No, that's not what I meant. I was just curious about her colorings. Red wolves generally stick to grasslands or the coast. I didn't think they were common to this elevation."

"She?"

"Eh, well, I just assumed."

The shop keep laughed and pushed his order across the counter. "You've been alone too long, son." Jellal scowled and gathered his supplies.

* * *

 _4 celsius, April_

As promised, the grey cloud cover lifted in early April and the skies were bright blue. The snow cover on the edges of the deck melted but the grassy areas took longer. Jellal suspected beyond the tree line, thicker snow would remain firmly in place for a few more weeks.

Warmer weather allowed for more time outdoors and Jellal took to having his morning coffee outside. He still wore his boots and coat but the cold air felt refreshing. In another week the solar flares would be visible, and he could begin observation and documentation.

His silent companion began to venture closer to the house and still with no pack in sight Jellal assumed the red wolf (definitely _not_ a fox) was on her own. Perhaps she was on the hunt for a mate or maybe she'd been ostracized. Either way Jellal found himself captivated by her presence. She stared at him from increasingly closer locations and he suspected she appreciated his unsurprising nature. He took it as a compliment that she trusted him enough to even consider approaching.

The first night the solar flares stretched across the night sky Jellal was amazed in spite of himself. Bright bands of color filled the heavens and he decided never to trust photographs of celestial phenomena to properly convey beauty ever again. It was as if someone had taken a brush of the most iridescent colors in existence and painted them across the sky. Stars sparkled behind the swaths of color creating extraordinary depth.

When the sun rose the next morning Jellal found the red wolf perched on the edge of the deck. She remained there, statuesque and beautiful as he went about his routine. He figured she'd been watching him long enough to expect his exit from the cabin to join her on the wood planks for coffee. Once he was situated in his favorite chair the wolf's head bobbed almost imperceptibly as she sniffed the air he'd brought out with him from inside. He wasn't sure when she returned to the woods but when he glanced out the window glass nearing lunch time she was gone.

* * *

Mornings with the red wolf became common place. He never offered her food and she never showed an interest. Upon closer inspection Jellal realized he'd been right – the wolf was female. She lacked certain dangly parts. He felt somewhat invasive even peeking between her back legs as she trotted across the expanse of newly exposed grass but curiosity won out.

The way her brown eyes gazed at him had a cognizant feel. Jellal supposed maybe he should have been more alarmed but he wasn't. When he spoke to her the first time her ears twitched.

"Am I really so interesting?" he asked. "Or is life out there just that monotonous?"

Of course, she didn't respond but when he glanced over at her she was eyeing him in a way that seemed almost thoughtful.

"Are you lonely?" The wolf turned and loped across the grass and back into the woods.

* * *

The following day she spent all afternoon in his company. When the sun sat high in the sky she stretched across the warmed planks of his deck and even though her eyes never closed for a nap Jellal thought maybe she relaxed. The wolf stayed until just before sunset. She rose and stretched gracefully before leaving him alone to watch the solar flares in solitude.

* * *

 _13 celsius, May_

The lights dwindled and Jellal missed them straight away. He'd known they wouldn't last more than a month in the spring but their absence left him feeling regretful. He wasn't expected home until mid-summer, though, and Jellal intended to spend the remainder of his time at the cabin sorting his observations. The photographs he'd taken would be part of his presentation.

His wolf companion seemed most happy when he spoke to her. Her coat was often damp from melted snow and rain and sometimes he wondered how she'd feel if he touched it. Jellal would never attempt such a thing, though. As docile as the red wolf appeared to be, he had no doubts about her being a wild creature.

He'd grown content to spend the warmer afternoons outside in the sun and until grass could be seen even beyond the trees most days were exactly like the one before. But then there was the woman.

Jellal had left the wolf on the deck to refill his coffee and when he returned the cup slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor. Instead of the red wolf a woman stood near the steps that lead down to the grass. She was staring at her hands in a kind of shocked wonder. Her hair – the same alluring red as the wolf's coat – hung wet about her shoulders and her skin glistened in the early afternoon sun. The sound of the crashing mug caught her attention and she suddenly noticed him. She gasped and Jellal gaped.

The woman covered her naked breasts with her arms and then realized two arms weren't quite enough to hide everything. She crouched and hugged her legs close.

"Don't look at me!" she said in a voice Jellal didn't think had been used in a while. He averted his eyes as best he could but... _there was a woman!_ A _naked_ woman in place of the red wolf on his deck! _Not_ staring was a challenge. She inched toward the steps and it looked as if she might bolt.

" _No!_ Don't... you can't! It's still too cold and you're freeze without, well, without clothes," he called to her. The woman turned her head back toward him. She was apparently more comfortable with him having the view of her backside rather than the front. Her eyes blinked rapidly as if in confusion. Jellal thought maybe she was still considering her options. "I, uh, I don't have any... ladies' clothes but I can get you something... if you want," he added quickly.

The woman nodded once and faced out toward the trees again. He was afraid to leave her alone but he couldn't just let her stand naked outside all day.

"Don't go anywhere, okay? I'll be right back." With graceless speed Jellal grabbed the first blanket he could get his hands on and a towel from the pile of folded clothes on his bed. To his relief the woman was waiting for him. He held out the blanket but she was unwilling to remove her arms from her chest so Jellal shook it from the folds and wrapped it around her shoulders – careful not to touch her.

"Thank you," she said softly. "It's warm today." Jellal's eyebrows flew up.

"Eh, yes. Kind of. The sun is out, so that helps." He offered her the towel but she only stared at it suspiciously and tightened the blanket around her body. "Right, uh, I can help you... with your hair."

"Okay," the woman said uncertainly. Jellal pulled her thick, red hair from the blanket and used the towel to soak the bulk of the cold water from the strands. He couldn't help but compare the color of her hair to the coat of the wolf, but that train of thought came to a screeching halt. Did he truly believe this completely random _and naked_ woman was the red wolf? _Did he?_

His many questions would have to wait because she was smiling at him now and he decided it was a lovely smile he wanted to see much more of.

"Better?" Jellal asked.

"Yes, thank you." Her stomach growled loudly and her cheeks turned pink. "Uh –"

"Hungry? I have plenty of food here." The woman's eyes flit nervously to the interior of the house and back to his face.

"Are you sure? I'm so... dirty."

"It's fine, I promise. You can even borrow the bathtub if you want."

The woman's face brightened again. "A bath? I haven't had a bath in..." she trailed off and her smile went away. "A long time."

"Well, you can have one today," Jellal said lightly. He held open the door for her and she took one last glance at the trees before stepping inside.

* * *

"My name was – _is_ Erza. My name _is_ Erza." She clutched the mug of hot tea to her chest.

"I'm Jellal."

"Is this your house, Jellal? I can't remember anyone living here since, well, before."

"Actually, no. It belongs to my colleague and friend. I don't think she's visited in a few years, though."

"Years," Erza repeated as she stared into the fire. "I guess maybe it's been that long. I was lost for a while, I think."

"Lost?"

"Yes. It stays cold all the time when you go higher up."

"Erza –"

"You have questions, right? I would, if I were you." She smiled wanly at him and set her mug aside.

"I don't want to pry."

"I used to have a pack but they're gone now. I felt it when they died and I think that's when I got lost."

"Are there many like you?"

"I don't know. My pack was all I knew." Erza wiped a tear with the edge of the blanket. "I didn't think I'd ever be able to change again."

"How did you do it today?" Jellal asked before he could think better of it.

"The weather. You. Both, I think."

"Me?"

"You're very calm and easy to predict. I felt comfortable with you. I think maybe it helped me remember being in this body."

"What did you mean about the weather?"

"The warmer it is, the less I can hold on to the wolf. That's how I got so lost. My pack was gone and I couldn't find my way back. In the deep cold, I would never have been able to change."

Jellal watched her shift under the blanket and curl further into herself. Her hair was slowly drying but there were still bits of nature in it.

"Erza, this is –"

"Crazy? I know. I can go if you want." She didn't look like she wanted to go at all.

"No, please don't. You can stay. I don't want do drag things out of you that make you sad." He stood and gathered the mugs and dishes from lunch. "I'll run you a bath okay?"

"Thank you, Jellal," Erza whispered. She didn't look at him but kept her eyes on the fire.

When she emerged from the bath clad in his night clothes they sat in familiar silence well into the night.

* * *

 _19 celsius, June_

Every morning he found Erza staring out of the kitchen windows at the forest. The bed in the guest room was still perfectly made and he wasn't sure if she'd slept in it or not.

"Do you miss it?" he asked. "Being a wolf, I mean."

"Not really. It's not the same as being me." Erza sighed and turned to him. "I wouldn't go so far as to call it mindless, but things are much more task-specific. It was different when my pack was alive."

"Were they your family?"

"Some, yes." She smiled and appeared to be lost in her memories. "I was the last to change. My brother didn't think I could do it at first. I was nine. A late bloomer, I guess."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Jellal hid his hands in his pockets. Death was something he didn't feel qualified to comfort anyone on.

"Thank you. I have my memories, though. And that's enough."

"Are you sleeping okay?" he asked pulling tea cups from the cabinets. Erza shifted on her feet and didn't answer right away.

"I can't seem to sleep very well. Not for a lack of hospitality on your part, though. I think it's just me."

"Maybe you'd sleep better in the afternoons? I read once that wolves are most active at night and in the mornings." Erza laughed and sat at the table. Jellal didn't think he'd heard her laugh so freely before.

"Maybe. It's also the dreams. I dream of an endless forest where I run alone all day and night. It's unnerving. I don't like it." Jellal couldn't imagine being plagued by such dreams. Loneliness wasn't something he often experienced but Erza's description of her solitary existence saddened him. "If this house doesn't belong to you, does that mean you're leaving soon?" she asked suddenly.

"I have until mid-July before I have to return with my studies," he said slowly watching for her reaction. He hadn't thought to consider what she would do once he left and Jellal suddenly felt selfish. "You could come with me back to the city," he blurted. "Maybe a new start would help?"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"The temperature doesn't suit me. My body requires the change and if the air is too warm, I could become sick. This is the best place for me."

"But you can't change when it's so warm, right?" Jellal still had trouble believing magical things like Erza existed. He didn't think he'd have adapted quite so quickly if she hadn't appeared in the place of her red wolf right outside on the deck. "What will you do? What if... what if you get lost again?"

Erza smiled sadly. "This is my way. I can't predict the future or know what'll happen without an anchor. Even in the summer there are parts of the forest that remain dark and cold."

Dark. And cold. No that wouldn't do at all.

* * *

"I used to think about touching your fur," Jellal said quietly. Erza's laugh was soft beside him. She never strayed too far from his side once the sun set. "I thought you might bite me if I tried."

"If it helps, I never once thought of biting you. I was more curious than anything else."

"Curious? I'm pretty boring, to be honest."

"You're not boring at all. My wolf liked you because of your quiet nature. She could tell you were kind and safe. And..." Erza looked away and tried to hide her blush. "She thought you smelled nice."

"That's the first time you've spoken of your wolf form as something separate from you."

"She's a simpler version of me. We are the same but apart. When I'm human she's still inside of me but... quieter." Erza stared into the fire and hugged her knees to her chest. Her hair fell over one shoulder and Jellal could not believe how much he _still_ wanted to touch it.

"What did I smell like?" he asked in an attempt to draw her from herself.

"Something calm. Something my wolf didn't recognize but I did." Erza turned her face to him again and smiled a little. "You smelled like sheets and pillows and coffee and soap. It was like you opened a door in my head. I couldn't stop myself from coming back here every day."

"I'm glad."

"Me too." Erza surprised him and leaned into his side. She canted her body towards him and loosened her arms around her knees just a little and Jellal couldn't resist curling the tips of her hair around one finger. It was as soft as he'd imagined.

* * *

"Do you think you'll ever come back?" she asked. Jellal set the last of the wet dishes to dry on the rack before turning to her.

"Back where?"

"Here."

"Well, this is Lucy's cabin but –"

"Is Lucy your wife?" Jellal couldn't help chuckling.

"No. Lucy is my friend and someone I work with. She has her own husband and a baby on the way."

Erza finally turned to him. "A baby?"

"Yep. A boy. He'll probably be born any day now."

"That's... wonderful. Babies are wonderful."

"Are they?"

"Of course." She laughed lightly and Jellal found himself smiling. He loved the sound of her laughter. "I'll never forget you, Jellal. I may lose my way again, but I won't forget you," Erza said suddenly serious.

"Erza –"

"Thank you for reminding me of who I am." She stepped closer to him and tidied his messy hair with a smile. "Now I know what _your_ hair feels like." Jellal's face warmed with embarrassment. He hadn't realized Erza noticed him touching her hair. "I didn't mind," she said quietly. "I was wondering how long it would take you, to be honest."

"I should've asked first –"

"I'm glad you did." Erza surprised him again by moving even closer to him and tucking her head under his chin and wrapping her arms around his middle. "I think maybe once you're gone I won't want anyone else to touch it ever again."

When she looked up at him Jellal's senses flew out of his head completely. His fingers traced the line of her jaw and the edge of her bottom lip. Just before he kissed her, she smiled and his heart filled with something he was too terrified to name.

The next day Jellal left Erza at the cabin and drove into town on a mission.

* * *

 _22 celsius, July_

Erza wandered through the newly furnished rooms with less enthusiasm than expected. Her face was pensive and she chewed her bottom lip more than he'd noticed before.

"This furniture can go if you don't like it." Jellal offered as she joined him in the hallway after inspecting the last of the three smaller bedrooms. Erza hugged her arms to her chest in an anxious way he recognized. "Tell me what's wrong and I'll fix it."

"So, it's mine?" she asked softly. " _Just_ mine?"

"Well –" he cleared his throat awkwardly. "I mean –"

"It's a lot of room for one person."

"Yes, it is." Jellal sighed. She was distressed and he felt responsible. "Listen, Erza, I have to go back down south in a week but I'm not staying there."

"No?"

"No. This house is so you don't get lost while I'm gone if you... change. Your anchor." Erza's eyes filled with tears and he reached up to brush them away.

"But your work!"

"I can work from anywhere, Erza. The reason I came all the way up here was to be closest to what I study. My presence in the lab can be kept to a minimum. Lucy doesn't need me that much."

Erza studied his face for a long, silent moment before taking his hand and pulling him into the living room. The tall windows overlooking the woods were part of the reason this property attracted him.

"This house is beautiful, Jellal, but you can't rearrange your life around mine."

"I can and have. I'll be back here before the solar flares return in September. That's less than two months from now. If you keep warm I can see you before the real cold sets in." His fingers found their way into her hair again.

"I don't know how to articulate what you've done for me. You've returned my humanity to me and now I have an anchor. Jellal..." she trailed off before hugging him tightly. "I can feel things again. Happiness, contentment... love. I don't know what to say."

"Promise me you'll try not to get lost. I'm not like you but I'll wait. Every year I'll wait. You can always find me here in our house." He smiled down at her. "I won't change soaps or anything."

Erza hid her face in the soft knit of his sweater and it was dark out before she whispered, "Thank you and I promise."

* * *

 _11 celsius, September_

The house stood out against the snowy backdrop of the woods. Every window was lit and the yellow glow spilled out onto the wintry landscape. Inside, Jellal discovered the fire blazing in the stone hearth but Erza wasn't in front of it. He hung his coat and left his bags in the entryway. Boxes were stacked in the living room – he'd been shipping his belongings north and the last of them were still in the trunk of his car.

He thought the temperature in the house to be almost _too_ warm but understood the purpose behind it. Erza smiled at him from beneath a mountain of bath bubbles when he found her.

"You're back!" she said with some surprise.

"Were you afraid I wouldn't make it?" He asked pulling his tie loose. Changing out of his professional clothes before getting on the road had been forgone.

"There's been a cold front this last week. I was worried I wouldn't get to see you this way before your return." Erza slid forward far enough for him to ease himself into the water behind her.

"That explains the near tropical temperatures in the house."

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

"Don't apologize. I'd rather be too warm than miss you until... how long does the wolf usually stay?"

Erza leaned back against him and sighed. "It depends. The longer I remain in that form and the colder the temperature is, the harder I have to try to change back."

"You seemed surprised by it when I first saw you."

"Yes the change did take me by surprise. I could feel it coming but I didn't think it would be so sudden. When I had a pack we would never stay in wolf form for more than a month at a time in the dead of winter. The anchor was stronger and the urge to wander less compelling."

"And now?"

"I don't think I can know for sure until I change. I became lost because I ran. My wolf is skittish. She was afraid of dying and the pain of death was too great."

"Erza, you don't have to talk about that if you don't want to." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"The loss is different as a human. It's been years and I've come to terms with it. But they were killed as wolves and I... heard it. I think having a place to return to and _someone_ waiting will help. She won't want to go as far."

"What will happen when you change? Will I wake up one day and you'll be gone?"

"I wish I had an answer to that." Erza turned in the water and slid over his lap. "I think I have a week or two if the temperature doesn't plummet again. But by October I won't be able to stop it."

"I'll miss you." Erza smiled and touched his cheek with her hand before kissing him.

* * *

 _-2 celsius, October_

Jellal watched the snow pile on the railings of the back deck. This one was different from Lucy's. He'd had a stone fire pit installed before the last snow fall and spent many hours warming his hands in the flames.

Erza had been gone three weeks and he missed her terribly. Every night the sky swirled with painted whirlpools of color and he took comfort in the fact that where ever she was, she could see the lights, too. He didn't lock the back door at night. Just in case.


	2. Ninety-two Days

_**"Anonymous asked: Can you write about the first time Jellal and Erza see each other during the one year time-skip? :3"**_

 _ **This takes place roughly three months into the one year time-skip. I'm bad with titles. Shame me with bells.**_

* * *

 **Ninety-two Days**

* * *

Even with his hooded cloak Jellal didn't like wandering crowded streets. Meredy would argue that it would take a much bigger town to qualify any of these roads as _crowded_ but Jellal was nervous all the same. He didn't exactly have a price on his head anymore but the deal he'd made with Doranbolt wasn't common knowledge. Anyone who kept up with news about the Magic Council or Era would know his face. Jellal adjusted his cloak again and Meredy nudged his arm with a quiet laugh.

"You worry too much," she said before sighing and becoming distracted. "It's the rest of this ragtag guild you should be worried about. I don't like leaving them to their own devices."

"It'll be fine," he mumbled, eyes sweeping the street.

"You don't think –"

"Meredy, freedom doesn't come with a leash. Any one of them could take off at a moment's notice or in the night. A few days of separation won't be too much of a catalyst."

"Sawyer and Macbeth are trouble."

"Perhaps, but one could argue the same thing about me." Jellal grinned at her from the shadows of his hood and Meredy simply shook her head. They fell into a companionable silence as the town buzzed around them. Meredy stopped at a fruit cart and began to pick through a stack of oranges while Jellal watched with mild interest as a dirty little boy stealthily made a go at picking pockets across the street. He could barely remember a time when he'd been small and covered in dust. His mind wandered back to the only clear memory he had. There was a shy smile and so much red...

A cacophony of crashes and shouting echoed off the closely crowded buildings and a scuffle broke out a few blocks down. Jellal tapped Meredy on the shoulder and angled his hood away from the stream of nosey onlookers who were gathering.

"We should go."

"Right –" Meredy gasped and grasped his hand. "Look." Jellal quickly glanced back at the scene and saw a flash of red and steel. Meredy tugged and he followed without resistance. A group of men were crowded around a pretty young girl in a pink dress the same color as the sign in the shop window. A sweet shop. Of course. Only Erza would stir up so much trouble over candy.

"This ain't none of your business, fairy!" the man clutching the young woman snarled.

"Unhand her or I'll take yours as a prize," Erza said without hesitation. She aimed her sword at the group of men. Jellal knew she could summon an army of them in a split second if provoked further.

"She owes me money!" he bellowed. "I always collect on my debts!"

"I didn't realize damaging private property and sexually harassing a shop keeper qualified as debt collection," Erza bit out. The air around her wavered and shimmered.

"I paid you last week!" the girl squeaked as the man's arm tightened around her. Erza's grin sharpened.

"So the truth comes out." Her swords fizzled into view and circled around her. "Leave the girl alone or I'll skewer each and every one of you."

All of the men backed away from the scene except the one holding the shop keeper. He attempted to stare Erza down for a moment longer before releasing his hostage with a shove.

"One day, Titania," he began.

"You'd better not wish for another day," Erza interrupted. "It'll be your last." When he disappeared around the corner with his accomplices Erza returned to her typical attire.

"Oh thank you so much," the young shop keeper said clasping her hands over her chest. "That particular gang has been harassing me for weeks! How can I repay you?"

Jellal watched as Erza's cheeks turned pink and she fumbled her words before asking for the candy she'd come for in the first place. Meredy giggled and shoved him toward the shop.

"Go talk to your girlfriend, Jellal," she said. "I'm going to finish shopping. I'll see you back at camp in a day or two." He didn't bother to respond because she'd already disappeared into the thinning crowd. Jellal turned back around toward the candy shop just in time to come face to face with Erza.

"I knew it was you," she said softly with a smile. "Those blue cloaks are a dead giveaway if you know what to look for."

"Meredy and I were down the street when the fight broke out. I saw your hair. It's just as easy for me to recognize." He couldn't stop himself from smiling.

"Well, you did say once that you'd never forget it."

"So I did." She blushed warmly and glanced away.

"Are you busy? Do you have time to come with me for a bit?"

In the past Jellal would've had a million reasons why he couldn't go with Erza but now none of them seemed quite so important. It had been a while since he'd found himself truly alone with Erza and Jellal found the offer impossible to decline.

"I have time." He smiled, offered his hand, and Erza didn't hesitate to take it.

Her home was on the edge of town and seemed much more lonely than her previous residence – Fairy Hills was a women's dormitory and the embodiment of socialization. This house was not only free standing, but set away from other houses of it's type.

"Does living alone suit you?" He asked following her inside the cottage. There was a row of hooks near the door and without really thinking about it removed his cloak and enjoyed the way it looked hanging in her hallway.

"It depends on my mood," she answered leading him into the kitchen. "I couldn't stay at Fairy Hills. Everyone else from my guild had gone and I no longer enjoyed living there."

"I'm sorry about Fairy Tail." Jellal stood awkwardly near the doorway. Her kitchen was small but she moved comfortably in it. He watched as she set water to boil and prepared teacups. "I know your guild meant a lot to you."

"It's only temporary. Natsu will be back eventually and won't stand for the disbandment. As difficult as it was for me at first, I've adapted. Freelancing can be a headache sometimes, but I feel more independent now."

"Freedom is all I've ever wanted for you, Erza," he said. The air in the kitchen thickened and her hands trembled as she set aside a sugar bowl.

"Jellal, I –" She hesitated before turning to him. Her eyes brimmed with tears that hadn't quite spilled over yet. Jellal was only half surprised when she crashed into him with a tight embrace. His arms came around her shoulders with an unexpected desperation. The way she fit against him felt like nothing else in the world and he felt a stab of homesickness when his head fell onto her shoulder.

Erza gazed up at him. So many unspoken, and familiar words hovered between them. _She loved him. She missed him. Was he okay? Did he still ponder death? Would they always be separated?_

And his only answer was that he loved her _so. much._

Jellal rested his forehead against hers and sighed. His thumb brushed away the few tears that escaped her eyes as his fingertips slid into her hair. He felt her chest rise and fall with every breath and it calmed him like nothing else. The urge to kiss her surged forward and even though he couldn't promise her he'd stay, even though his war wasn't over, and even though he _swore_ he'd never cross this line until he'd slammed the door on his past... Jellal tilted his head and pressed his lips against hers.

Erza's arms tightened around his waist and from her mouth came the most beautiful sigh he'd ever heard in his life. The gentleness of his kiss lasted until she parted her lips and tore through every last one of his boundary lines. Suddenly she was everywhere.

And Jellal was lost.


	3. The Tell-Tale Panties

_**"Anonymous asked: Hi! College Jerza au where Jellal and Erza get drunk at a party together and things get steamy from there on out and for the rest of the night! Once over, confused Jellal wakes up to an empty bed..."**_

 _ **The prompt given to me originally via tumblr instant message was much longer and based on something the user read on Whisper. I don't actually think it's in-character for either Jellal or Erza to do something like this and it took me a while to work out a believable situation in my head. I kind of think everyone but Mirajane is a little OOC here. I hope it's at least close to what was discussed!**_

* * *

 **The Tell-Tale Panties**

* * *

It was the breeze from the open window that woke him. The morning air touched parts of his body that would've been more alarming if his state of mind wasn't so fuzzy. His mouth tasted like something sour and vaguely fruity. Jellal sat up on the very edge of what appeared to be a love seat in a room that definitely wasn't his.

Silence hung in the house like thick smoke and Jellal's toes nudged a number of tiny plastic cups that still had jello remnants stuck to the insides. Their presence explained the disgusting residual of fruit flavor in his mouth. His pants were bunched at his ankles and the breeze reminded him that he was mostly naked. The crooked way his boxers sat on his hips was confusing. He didn't remember trying to remove clothing.

With an annoyed huff Jellal batted at the curtains that brushed against his back and when he turned on the love seat he saw a lonely pair of panties. They were black, lacy, and _scandalously tiny_. He hooked one finger through the waist string to lift them into the air and glanced around. The bed was still made and besides the clutter of small plastic cups at his feet the room was still clean and mostly undisturbed.

Had he been with someone the night before? Everything was an embarrassing blur. He'd had far too much to drink and proved himself, yet again, to be a lightweight. Jellal didn't drink often but when he did the habit of overshooting his tolerance level never failed to leave him feeling horrible in the morning.

Jellal stood and nearly stumbled over the jeans still shackled around his ankles. He straightened his boxer shorts, pulled up his pants, and grabbed his shirt from the arm of the love seat. Not quite knowing what else to do with them, he stuffed the mystery panties into his pocket. His t-shirt smelled of booze and he was loath to wear it but his sweater was nowhere to be found. He peeked behind the love seat, out the window to the fire escape, and under the bed but still no sweater.

An insistent vibration in his pocket drew his attention and Jellal dug out his phone. Lucy had texted him five times in the last hour. She was not happy. As he began to type out an apology she interrupted with a call. He sighed and tapped the green circle.

"Lucy, I'm so sorry –"

"Where are you? I've been waiting for a half hour at the library! Do you have any idea what kind of sacrifice it is for me to be out of bed this early on a weekend?" Lucy's voice teetered on the razor sharp edge of annoyed and totally pissed.

"I do, I swear I understand. I went to a party last night and –"

"A... _party?_ You?" Lucy paused and sighed loudly in exasperation. "That's the most ridiculous excuse I've ever heard, Jellal. Please just get down to the library. I've got a stack of reserved books and a pair of grad students side-eyeing me from another table."

Jellal swept his eyes over the empty room once more for his sweater before giving up. "Right. I'll be there in twenty minutes, okay?"

"Twenty minutes?! Did you just roll out of bed or something? Hurry up!" Lucy ended the call before he could lamely offer the party excuse again. Of course she didn't believe him. His social life was mostly a barren wasteland since taking on extra courses this semester.

Jellal slid the phone into his back pocket and peeked down the hallway. The house was still quiet and it took him a moment of reorientation to find his way to the front door. Even though he'd woken nearly naked and completely devoid of recollections of how he got that way, he supposed it could've been worse. Someone could've found him on that love seat with his pants down and feet partially covered in jello shot cups. Not much could be worse than that.

* * *

"What's up with you lately?" Lucy tapped her pen on the edge of her laptop and eyed him from over the screen. "It's been a week since your wild night out and you can't possibly still be hung over."

"I'm just distracted."

"Why?" Lucy's eyes fell back down to her laptop screen. "You went out to take the edge off. I'm surprised you have any edges left after a rager like that."

"It wasn't a _rager_." Jellal muttered carding through the pages of the thick book in front of him.

"Mira said it was."

"How would she know?"

"She was there with a friend of hers. Stop changing the subject." She glanced up at him again and frowned. "Seriously, Jellal. You've been off all week. I wouldn't call you a basket of daisies on your best day but you're more moody than usual."

Jellal glared down at the words on the page – the same words he'd been trying to take in for the last half hour. "I think I hooked up with someone."

"You _think?"_

I don't remember for sure but there's evidence suggesting that I did."

Lucy sighed and went back to clicking away on the keys of her laptop. "And what evidence is that?"

"I woke up mostly naked with my pants around my ankles, surrounded by tiny cups crusted with jello, and –" Jellal stopped abruptly and shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "It doesn't matter. Let's just get back to work."

"No." Lucy closed her laptop and crossed her arms on his dining table. "I demand to know what this is all about. Tell me about the girl. It's obviously bothering you."

Jellal sighed dramatically. "I don't remember much, okay? She had red hair and reminded me of someone I knew a long time ago. I know we were having some drinks outside but it was loud and we went upstairs."

"Tell me about the jello shots. Those can be deceptively intoxicating. Even more so than Natsu's nasty trashcan punch."

"Do I want to know what that is?"

"Trust me, you don't. Do you remember anything about her other than hair color?"

"No and to be honest I can't even recall how I ended up on the love seat and alone with no sweater and a pair of panties next to me."

"I'm sorry, did you just say _panties?_ " Lucy's face brightened into a slow grin.

"Yeah they were just sitting there."

"What did they look like?" she asked leaning forward.

"Standard black lace thong, I guess? I brought them home with me."

Lucy's mouth dropped open. "You took the panties with you? _Jellal!_ "

" _What?_ I couldn't just leave them there!"

"Listen, I'm your friend okay? But that's creepy."

"Well someone took my sweater, too," he said indignantly.

"So that warrants panty theft?"

"I didn't steal panties! They were just... _there._ I was groggy and not thinking." He stood from his chair abruptly and turned his back to Lucy to get a glass of water. Somehow the conversation had spiraled.

"Can I see them?" Jellal choked on his water.

 _"What?"_ He whirled around to see her grinning at him from the table. "You just accused me of lifting women's underwear and now you want to see them? Absolutely not."

"Aw, come on. It's not like you know her or anything! I want to see your prize."

"Jesus, Lucy. They're not a _prize_. I don't even know why I took them."

"I'm not leaving until you let me see." Lucy leaned back in her chair stubbornly. She didn't break eye contact even as Jellal finished his glass of water.

 _"Fine."_ Jellal stalked past Lucy and into his bedroom. The panties had been stored at the bottom of his sock drawer. He supposed it _was_ a little weird. What would be have said to her if he ever saw her again? _Hi there, remember me? We may or may not have had sex, and I have your underwear._ On top of that he didn't know that he'd recognize her anyway. Something like hair color wasn't much to go on.

"What's taking so long?" Lucy's voice startled him and he shut the sock drawer with more force than necessary. Jellal turned around and held out a plastic baggie. "Why are they in this bag?"

"Because it felt weird to have a strange woman's thong just casually hanging out with my socks."

" _That's_ where you drew the line?" She raised an eyebrow and opened the baggie.

"What are you doing?!" Jellal said with alarm. "You can't just –"

"Says the guy who stole random panties from a party!" Lucy shoved the empty plastic bag at his chest and held up the black lace thong for inspection. "Wow. These are impressive. An odd choice for a wild party, though. Was she in a skirt?" Jellal slumped against his dresser and shook his head.

"I don't know, Lucy. Can we put the underwear away now?" Lucy eyed the lingerie for a moment longer before tossing the thong at him. He fumbled them awkwardly before stuffing the black lace back into the baggie and into his sock drawer.

"Your mystery girl has excellent taste in panties, Jellal. Those are not only expensive but shockingly well made for what they are." Lucy returned to the table to gather her things. "I may have to invest in a few pairs myself."

"Didn't need to know that, thanks," he muttered.

"I hope you're in a better mood tomorrow." She ducked under the strap of her bag and opened the front door. "Don't forget to do the reading. This project is due in three weeks and I don't want to be stuck rushing at the last minute."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll do my part."

"No more parties," Lucy said with a wink as she left his apartment.

 _"Goodnight, Lucy."_ Jellal replied with finality as he shut the door.

* * *

Jellal thought for sure he was losing his mind. The ambiguous sex he _still_ wasn't sure he had was one thing, but the panties and lapse in judgement they presented were an even bigger problem. They seemed to call to him from his sock drawer where he'd hidden them away in an attempt to forget. _Who did they belong to? Why had he taken them to begin with and why was he so fixated on them?_ It seemed ridiculous. Plenty of people had drunken hookups with partners they couldn't clearly remember... _right?_

And it wasn't just the panties. The woman's hair stalked him in his dreams. In the back of his mind he knew it wasn't really Party Girl's hair but _Erza's_. He hadn't thought of her in years. If he closed his eyes and concentrated he could almost recall the face of the mystery redhead but her features always ended up twisting into Erza. Exactly how normal was it to still be hung up on a girl he hadn't seen in a very long time? Jellal wasn't sure but he didn't think it could be healthy.

He could tell Lucy was beginning to lose patience with him. Annoying her wasn't his intent but sometimes his thoughts would drift back to the party and other times even further back than that. Erza had been his first real friend, first love, first... _everything._ The day he watched her parents' moving truck disappear around the corner from his dad's front porch was something he hadn't quite gotten over even seven years down the road.

It wasn't until he'd met the girl with the red hair at a party that the mental dam broke and everything he'd locked away came spilling over. If he revealed to Lucy the reasoning behind his psychological fixation on red hair she'd probably tease him less, but the whole story felt far fetched even to himself.

"Happy Birthday!" Lucy said taking the seat at the otherwise empty table. She pushed a wrapped gift toward him and opened her bag of pretzels. "I know birthdays aren't really your thing but I saw that and thought of you right away."

"I'm almost afraid to open it." Jellal set his sandwich aside and stared at the package.

"Oh, don't be that way! I promise it's perfectly appropriate." Lucy smiled expectantly and with some reservation he peeled back the red paper. It was a book. He recognized the title instantly and flushed with embarrassment.

"Lucy," he groaned. "Really?" She laughed and pulled a bottle of juice from her bag.

" _The Tell-Tale Heart_ is a perfect read for you right now. You're welcome!"

"Thanks," he muttered. "I regret telling you about those panties, by the way."

"You've got to cheer up, Jellal. I can't take all this brooding. Between you and Natsu I'm going to go grey by the time I'm twenty-five."

"You're over-exaggerating."

"No, I'm not. I've spent more time with you than my boyfriend in the last week because _somebody_ didn't do their part of an important project that's one-third of our grade this semester. And the reason their part didn't get done is because they're distracted –"

"Lucy..."

"And _why_ is this person distracted? Because they think a pair of panties is singing a siren song from their sock drawer and they can't get over a hook up that may or may not have actually happened."

"If you're comparing me to the crazy narrator in that book then... then –"

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Then, _what,_ Jellal? Has this been a wake up call for you? Because, _yes_ , I think you're acting crazy. Get over her. You don't even know her name or anything about her!"

"I can't help it." Jellal sighed. Lucy was right. He was acting like a madman.

"I'm worried about you."

"Worried or annoyed?"

"To be honest? A little of both."

"I'm sorry about slacking off, and I appreciate the way you sacrificed your personal time to help me finish my parts, Lucy. I mean it." He smiled at her but it felt half-assed.

"That's the saddest smile I've ever seen, Jellal."

"Thank you for the book. It was nice of you to think of me. Even if it was in a bad context." Lucy smiled at him and opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by her phone. She sighed and typed out a text message.

"I gotta go, okay? I'll see you in class tomorrow. Happy birthday, again."

* * *

Mirajane wiped the bar counter off with a rag that smelled strongly of lemon Lysol. The handful of hours just after lunch and before sunset were the dullest and she enjoyed the small amount of time the restaurant and bar would be clean and tidy. In one more year she'd have her master's degree in business and the whole place would be hers.

With a satisfied huff, she rinsed the rag out in the sink and ran her hand over the polished wood of the bar. Her mother would've been proud of how hard she'd worked to keep it open. The place had been a second chance at life for both her parents when Lisanna died, and Mirajane stepped right into the role of running it when they'd passed on themselves. The curling pattern of the grain reminded her fondly of her father's hands and she smiled at the thought. The bell over the front door startled her from old memories.

"Lucy! That was fast!" Mira smiled at her friend who weaved through the tables toward the bar.

"Yeah, I was just over in the park. I had to drop off a birthday present."

"Is it Natsu's birthday? I didn't think that was this month." Mirajane scooped ice into a glass and poured Lucy some tea.

"Oh, no. It's my lab partner, Jellal. He's been really broody lately and I thought the gift would make him smile for once."

"Did it?"

"Kind of. He's hung up on something stupid and it's really starting to drag him down."

Mira leaned forward over the bar and sighed. "Maybe it's contagious. A friend of mine, I don't know if you've met her or not but she works weekends, has been really spacey recently. Last night she burned an entire basket of fries. The kitchen smelled terrible for hours." Lucy wrinkled her nose.

"Did she say what her deal is?"

"No, but she's been in a bad mood since that party I dragged her to last month, which I can't understand. She didn't even stay very long."

"Maybe your friend and Jellal got the same batch of depressing jello shots? He keeps going on about some girl he thinks he may have hooked up with but doesn't remember anything about her other than her red hair. How crazy is that?" Lucy said jokingly. Mirajane's lips curved into the slow mischievous smile Lucy knew all to well. "What? What are you planning?" she asked carefully.

"So he likes redheads, huh? How would this Jellal feel about a blind date?"

"I'm sure he'd protest but he could probably be persuaded. Why?"

"Because I have an idea."

* * *

"I do _not_ have a type." Jellal said irritably. He switched his phone to speaker and pawed through the mound of clean clothes on his bed.

"You do too, Jellal. Red hair is obviously a thing for you!" Lucy's voice scolded.

"Why can't you just leave this alone? I don't want to go on a blind date!"

"Well, I don't want a lab partner who's broodier than a fictional vampire. Mirajane is an expert matchmaker and I think this'll be good for you."

Jellal ground his teeth and frustratedly shoved the clothes back into a pile. His other green sock was nowhere to be found and now he had the added anxiety of Lucy hassling him about dates. Could nothing go right this month? He grabbed his phone and deposited it on top of his dresser and yanked open the sock drawer.

"What I need is..." His fingers brushed against a plastic baggie on the bottom of the drawer and it brought all his thoughts to a screeching halt. "I just..."

"Jellal? Are you there?" Jellal held up the baggie containing the black thong and sighed loudly. He needed to get rid of the panties. Their presence and the drunken memories of a girl who reminded him of lost things were too much.

"Okay, fine," he said walking into the kitchen. Jellal tossed the baggie into the garbage. "I'll go on the date. You win."

* * *

Jellal nervously drummed his fingers on the tabletop. He'd opted for soda instead of anything alcoholic. His date hadn't arrived yet and despite his misgivings he hoped he wouldn't be stood up. Those fears were dashed when a woman slid into the seat across from him. His heart skipped several beats. She smiled sheepishly and folded her hands in her lap.

"Hello, Jellal," said a voice from a mouth attached to a face he hadn't thought he'd ever see again.

"Erza!" He blinked stupidly at her while scrambling for something better to say. "I don't... are you..."

"Your date? I'm afraid so. Mirajane is pretty nosy." Jellal continued to stare while gaping like a fish. The improbability of the situation rendered him unable to articulate any intelligent thought.

"So _you're_ Mirajane's friend? But that means –"

"I haven't been a student here for long. I only transferred last year."

"Did you know you were meeting me tonight? Because I had no idea what was happening until you sat down just now."

"Mira told me your name and it's not exactly common. I hoped it was you. I wanted a chance to explain myself after everything that happened."

Jellal's thoughts felt very much like a tin of puzzle pieces. It felt like he was missing a larger picture and he took an embarrassing amount of time to figure things out.

"It was you. At the party. Wasn't it?" Erza's face reddened even in the dim lighting of the restaurant. "I didn't even recognize you."

"I know," she replied quietly. "I kept hoping you would but –"

"Erza, I was very drunk that night. _Uncharacteristically_ drunk." He tried to smile but it came off as lopsided. "I remembered your hair though. I'm pretty sure Lucy thinks I'm going crazy. I'm sorry I didn't remember you."

"I knew you were pretty out of it but I was so happy to see you," Erza admitted. Finally the shame of that night came back to him.

"Um, listen, I need to apologize... what happened that night... well... I gotta ask. Did we..." Jellal's face felt hot and he poked at the edges of his napkin. Erza finally laughed and broke the tension.

"We didn't. I couldn't go through with it and you were passed out cold when I came back from the bathroom. I wanted to stay until morning but I guess I chickened out. I didn't want _that_ to be how we ran into each other again." She smiled again in the same sheepish way as before. "I've been putting off hunting you down in the science wing for weeks."

"I found your panties," he blurted and Erza's eyebrows flew up. "I kind of kept them in my sock drawer as proof that I hadn't imagined you but then I thought they were driving me insane so I threw them away two days ago. I'm sorry." Jellal wasn't sure if he was apologizing for trashing her underwear or for admitting he took them in the first place. Either way he wished he'd just kept his mouth shut.

"I took your sweater." It was Jellal's turn to be surprised. "I didn't throw it away, though. I'm sorry, too. It was a stupid thing to do. I was kind of overwhelmed that night." Erza's blush darkened. "You still smelled the same."

"I wish I hadn't had so much to drink. I wish I could remember everything."

"Even completely wrecked you were still the same Jellal I remembered." Erza sighed. "I don't know why I followed you up to that bedroom and let things go as far as I did. I wasn't nearly as drunk as you."

"Drunk enough to leave your panties on a strange couch... or was that intentional?" Jellal grinned at her in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"No it wasn't intentional," she said with a laugh. "I guess I realized that I didn't want to be something you regretted or didn't even remember. So I just took your sweater and left."

"Let's start over then." Erza smiled and Jellal couldn't help but return the expression. "And you can keep the sweater. I'm sure it looks better on you than it ever did me."

"You'll have to verify that in person." She sipped her water and winked at him. "And I promise to protect you from any evil panties, although, I have to say they were probably just upset with you for shoving them in a sock drawer. Those were pretty fancy and unused to such a harsh environment."

"Are you... making fun of me?"

"Only a little." Erza laughed again and smirked. "Before Mirajane said your name and I guessed who you were, she said you had a type."

"I do but not in the way she meant. I don't have a thing for redheads, just you."

"So you could say you're Erza-sexual?"

Jellal grimaced. "Your sense of humor hasn't changed a bit, Erza."

"Good to know."

* * *

The first time she left a pair of panties at his apartment Jellal debated whether or not to stuff them away in a drawer. Lucy's gift had admittedly freaked him out a little. Even though he and Erza were as official as two people in a relationship could be... he still debated.

In the end the panties were folded neatly and left in the smaller top drawer he saved for his nicer ties and dress socks. Erza would tease him for it but he'd rather be safe than sorry. Sentient panties were a terrifying thing.


	4. TG,tML,atSS (Part One)

_**"Anonymous asked: Could you do a human and fairy au please"**_

 _ **The length of time this took me to outline is incredible and I apologize. The length of the actual story is also incredible as this is only Part One. I'll be posting it in two parts because large bodies of text bother me and I feel kind of bad for taking so long to fulfill the request. Look for Part Two sometime this next week. My graciously long-suffering beta is MeraNaamJoker/Partlygood. This particular prompt will be rated M for sexytimes. Thank you for your patience, anon.**_

* * *

 **The General, the Mountain Lily, and the Scarlet Sage - Part One**

* * *

With hands clasped behind his back, the King surveyed the city from above. The council chamber was empty save for himself and one other. His chest felt heavy and his shoulders tired. Crowns were ponderous things, and the loss he faced would be a devastating blow to both his kingdom and himself.

"My hands are tied," he said softly in a voice that sounded too old. Had it really been so long? He still felt a young man at heart. "I've done all I can to spare your life."

"I understand, Your Majesty," the General said behind him. When the king turned around, he reached to place a hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"Why?" he asked with a rasp.

"The price was too high, Your Majesty. I couldn't comply." The general averted his gaze and the King's heart broke further.

"So much is at stake. The Conclave bites at my heels and would take the throne from me if they could." The King shook his head and sighed heavily. "I am not against a senate or republic, but The Conclave... I distrust and fear their intentions. Sorano loves politics. She would be more suited to oversee a reorganization of power."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty." The general's apology was nearly inaudible. "They were only children. I could not comply."

"They were executed anyway, Jellal," the King replied.

"But not by me."

"You were always like a son to me." A sad smiled stretched across his wizened face. "You were meant to _be_ my son when the war was over."

"Your Majesty –" the general began.

"Love was never a bolt of lightning to me either, boy. My late Queen and I blossomed over time like the mountain lilies. You would have grown to love each other." The general shifted his weight and the King clasped his hands behind his back once more. "It doesn't matter now, though. The Conclave demands their pound of flesh."

"When will it be done?"

"At sunset when the veil is thinnest. They'll sprinkle the dust and you'll walk into the waters." The King shook his head sadly. "I wish I could tell you more. I've never made the leap myself."

"And the mark?"

"You know the answer to that, Jellal. Your color will be of the darkest red. I wish –"

"The decision was mine, Your Majesty. I'll not resist." The King nodded and turned back to the window.

"We go now. The sun is falling swiftly."

"Your Majesty! You cannot –"

 _"General Fernandes,"_ the King said firmly as he straightened his aching back to full height. "By the time the moon rises on this night, The Conclave will have stolen more than one precious thing from me. I will escort you if I wish." The general met the King's eyes for the first time and allowed his shoulders to slump in defeat.

* * *

The copse of trees crowned a perpetually green hill just beyond the walls of the city. The King stubbornly walked beside the General during the entire procession – much to the displeasure of The Conclave. Every member wore a featureless mask, as was tradition for a Royal Expulsion. The edges of their cloaks dragged in the late summer grass.

A pair of white haired young women waited at the edge of a pond that glittered purple with magic. Only the younger princess shed tears. The general's betrothed – _formerly_ betrothed – stoically watched the approaching crowd. She met the general's eyes briefly before looking away. Her face did not betray shame but frustration. The King knew she didn't care for the power The Conclave held over such things any more than he did.

The King joined Sorano and Yukino at the edge of the pond and watched with growing anger as The Conclave circled the pond and flanked his most treasured general. Words were said in the old fae language and a hand appeared from one of the cloaked figures. Without ceremony or a second's hesitation the figure turned to the general and pressed a thumb to his forehead. General Fernandes did not visibly flinch, but a drop of blood slid down his cheek as a crimson exile mark seared itself to his skin over the right eye.

The chanting was loud and fast as powders that glowed in the moonlight were spread over the surface of the pond. The general spared his King one final glance of goodbye as he stepped beyond the gently lapping shore and disappeared.

The sobs of Yukino were drowned out by Sorano's screams, as the cloaked man left of the King turned and slid a dagger into the soft place just below his ribs. He barely had time to catch his breath before falling forward with his fingertips splashing in the edge of the pond.

* * *

"Aw, come on Erza!" Natsu complained loudly. "We've been out here for _hours!_ I'm starving and Lucy will kill me if I'm late again."

"You can blame me if you need to," Erza said, throwing him a glare over her shoulder. "I want to get these kittens out of here before it rains."

"How do you even know about these mystery kittens?"

"Because someone called the shelter and I need to follow up! Can you stop bitching about it and just help me out?" Erza continued to peek behind the garbage bins lined up against the back wall of the school. She suspected the anonymous tip had come from a concerned cafeteria employee, because two styrofoam lunch trays sat partially hidden behind one of the bins.

Natsu trailed behind, only searching with the barest of efforts. Erza knew she should've brought someone else with her, but at such a late hour Natsu was the only one left in the building. The sun was setting and soon she'd have to give up until morning. The last thing she needed was for some Good Samaritan to call the police about two trespassers creeping around behind the elementary school after dark. It would be exactly her brand of luck if the responding officer turned out to be Simon.

Erza sighed and planted her hands on her hips. Days like this made her seriously question her dedication. So many strays and abused animals, and so little time or money to handle it. A tiny nudge at her ankle drew her attention, and a grey cat with the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen gazed up at her. The cat meowed loudly before turning and prancing behind the last bin in the small alley. Erza followed the cat and stopped cold as she rounded the side of the bin that sat a little way apart from the others and askew.

"Natsu!" she called sharply.

"What? _Please_ tell me you found the kittens because I'm seriously starving and if I don't have dinner soon I'll turn into a beast and th –"

"Would you shut up and get over here?" Erza hissed.

 _"What?"_ Natsu stepped around her and fell into a brief silence. "Wow. I'll say this, Erza, working for you is never anything less than an adventure." In the corner of the alley was a man lying on his back. His clothing was strange and he appeared to be unconscious. Piled in a furry heap on his chest were the kittens – all the same shade of dusty grey as the mother. "Want me to call the cops? Or an ambulance?"

"No, just go and get the carrier for the kittens."

"Are you serious? What are you going to do? Walk over there to this weirdo in... what the fuck is he even wearing?" Natsu stepped closer to the unconscious man and poked at his leg with the toe of his shoe. "Is this guy one of those nerdy LARPers or something? He's wearing costume armor."

"Just go and get the carrier and –"

" _Whoa!_ Check this out! He's got a wicked tattoo! _On his face!_ Erza, you gotta see this!"

"Get away from him and bring me the carrier!"

"Fine," Natsu grumbled. He jogged back toward their van.

Erza stared at the man crumpled on the ground and inched closer to him. Now that she could see him better it looked like Natsu was right. His clothing did resemble costume armor and his face definitely had a deep red marking on the right side. His skin was inflamed around the area, and it appeared to be a new tattoo. Erza plucked one of the kittens from his chest and brought it up under her chin. She thought the litter to be incredibly docile compared to others she'd rescued. Natsu appeared beside her and held out the open crate. One by one, she placed the four kittens inside.

"Can you grab the mother for me, too? She's by the bin," Erza said softly as she closed the first crate.

"What are you gonna do about this guy?" Natsu asked, poking at his leg again. Erza sighed and touched the red skin surrounding his tattoo.

"Well, we can't leave him here. Let's get the cats in the car and I guess we can call an ambulance." Erza pulled her phone from her pocket to call for emergency assistance. She didn't want to, but there was no avoiding it. The kittens in the crate started yowling and Erza dropped the phone in surprise when the man suddenly sat up and opened his eyes.

Both Erza and Natsu watched in shocked silence as he rubbed the back of his head and tried to stand. He body fell into the wall and Natsu set the cat carrier aside to help steady him.

"Whoa there, man. You drunk or something? Did you know someone tattooed your face?"

 _"Natsu!"_ Erza chastised.

"What? I just thought he should know."

"Where is this place?" the man finally spoke. His voice sounded harsh and he had an accent Erza couldn't quite place.

"You don't even know where you are?" Natsu asked incredulously. "You're lucky we found you and not the police. Behind an elementary school is no place to pass out, man."

"I see," the man said slowly, finally righting himself. "Thank you for your assistance." He tried to stand on his own, but his left leg didn't seem to be at its best.

"You're injured," Erza stated plainly. "We can give you a ride to the ER if you want."

"Uh –" his eyes flit back and forth between Erza and Natsu. He seemed to be in a state of sluggish panic. Erza had seen the same expression in the eyes of countless animals, and couldn't stand it in any form.

"Natsu, can you help him to the van? I'll get the cats. We'll take him back to the shelter with us and check out his leg." She eyed the reddened skin around his tattoo. "And I'm sure we can get you something for your face."

"Erza..." Natsu began but stopped short at the stony glance she threw him. "Right. The van. Come on, buddy. We're just at the end of the alley."

* * *

The man sat silently on the edge of a chair in one of the exam rooms of the shelter. Natsu watched him from the hallway while Erza rooted around in her supply cabinets.

"Are you seriously going to play doctor with this guy?" he asked in a low voice.

"I'm not _playing doctor_. You saw the way he reacted when we offered to take him to the ER. I can't just leave him there."

"You're a _vet,_ Erza. You work with _animals,"_ Natsu insisted. "You don't know shit about human anatomy! What if he's got some kind of –"

"Some kind of _what_ , Natsu? And, by the way, I'm well aware of my capabilities. I'm not slicing him up for surgery. I'm just going to put some of this antibiotic cream on his face and check out his leg. It's not a big deal." Erza brushed past Natsu but he caught her arm in his hand.

"You don't know this guy at all. We found him passed the fuck out behind a school wearing _armor_ , and I don't know if you noticed but he talks funny. This isn't a good idea. Why don't we just call S –"

"Don't even say it. We will _not_ be calling Simon. It sends the wrong message, and I can handle this myself." She pulled her arm free and headed to the exam room. "You can go home if you want."

"I'm not leaving you alone with this guy."

Erza shrugged. "Suit yourself, but I don't think he'll hurt me." Natsu scowled and followed Erza down the hallway. The strange man in armor watched her wordlessly as she laid out her supplies.

"How are the kittens?" he asked in the accent that she still couldn't quite place.

"They're with their mother now and fine. I'll check them over tomorrow and see about placing ads online." She eyed the red skin around his tattoo. "I'm more worried about you, to be honest. Is that a new tattoo? It looks like it might be on its way to infection. Would you mind if I take a closer look?"

"Yes, it's new." The man watched her as Erza leaned in to inspect the reddened skin.

"This is a very dark ink. It's pretty vibrant even for something new. I'm going to clean it for you and apply some of this ointment, is that okay?" The man nodded and both he and Natsu remained quiet as she did her job. "Can you tell me why you were behind the school?"

"I..." The man seemed to be scrabbling at his thoughts and Erza didn't speak as he worked things out. "I don't remember." Erza wiped the remaining ointment from her fingers and stepped back to look him in the eye. The man was a terribly clumsy liar and it was obvious.

"That's okay. Can I have a peek at your leg? You were limping pretty badly earlier."

"I think it's fine now. Just bruised. I've heard the trip through can be rough."

Erza raised her eyebrows. "The trip through... what?" The man froze and the look of panic crept back into his eyes. "Do you need a ride home?" she asked quickly to distract him.

"Home?"

"Yeah, your address, weirdo. Where do you live?" Natsu asked from the doorway.

"Uh, my home is... it's... I don't have it anymore," the man finished quietly. He seemed to not only be flustered by the question but frustrated, as well.

"I'm gonna call Simon," Natsu muttered and turned to leave the room.

"Don't you dare!" Erza commanded. She turned back to the man and smiled as best she could. "I'll be right back okay? If you're not comfortable with me looking at your leg, could you at least take a look at it yourself to make sure you aren't cut or bleeding? I can handle your face, but anything more complicated and I'll have to take you to the emergency room. I'm a doctor for animals, not people." The man nodded slowly, and Erza herded Natsu back out into the hallway.

"Erza this has gone far enough! You gotta turn that guy into the cops or the hospital or something! He's not a stray dog you picked up off the street!" Natsu said insistently.

"I know he's not a dog! But he's obviously freaked out and has nowhere to go!"

"Then take him to a homeless shelter."

"That just seems so –"

Natsu sighed loudly. "That guy is trouble, Erza. Who wanders around the city in fucking armor? Crazies! That's who! I know you don't want to see Simon after everything that happened with him but you can't just keep that man as a pet!"

"A pet? Give me some credit! I'm just trying to do the right thing." Natsu and Erza stared at one another in tense silence before Natsu finally slumped against the wall. "Just promise me you won't take him home. He can sleep on the clean kennel blankets."

"Go home to Lucy, Natsu. I'm a big girl and can handle things myself."

* * *

"I'm sorry this is the best I can do here," Erza said, trying her best to make him comfortable with a mound of blankets. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather go to a shelter? They'd have actual beds for you there."

"Are there many other humans at a shelter?" Between his strange accent and the way his question was worded, Erza pursed her lips.

"Well, this is a sizable city, so I'd imagine there would be a fair amount of people at a homeless shelter, yes."

"I'd much rather be with the animals." Erza watched as he stiffly lowered himself to the pile of blankets.

"I can get you a change of clothes, if you'd like. All I have are the scrubs my employees wear, but I'm sure I have a set in your size."

"Scrubs?"

"Uh, they're just blue cotton clothing." She couldn't help but smile at the quizzical way he gazed up at her. "Suitable for working with animals."

"I wouldn't object to something more appropriate to this place."

"Can I ask where you're from?" Erza pulled open another storage cabinet and dug through the stacks of unused sets of scrubs. The man sighed as he pulled off pieces of his armor. She noticed that most of them weren't metal but some form of unfamiliar leather. The color was wrong, though. It was just as perplexing as his accent.

"Somewhere else. I'm not quite familiar with your city or customs. I hope you won't judge me for the state I was found in behind an institution for children. That isn't exactly... my arrival wasn't what I expected."

"I see." Erza handed him a folded set of scrubs and watched as he inspected the uniform. "If you're hungry there's some food in the fridge and a microwave. I should be getting home."

"Of course. I understand." He tried to smile at her but winced instead. The tattoo must have been more painful than he let on.

"Okay, then. I'll see you in the morning around seven."

"Is that when the sun rises?" His question was so innocently put that Erza frowned again. The man was strange but didn't seem to be completely aware of it. She turned to leave but stopped at the doorway.

"I never got your name."

"Gen... ah, Jellal. Just Jellal."

"I'm Erza. Goodnight, Jellal," she said softly before leaving him alone. On her way through the shelter she flipped off the lights and stopped in her office to check on the mother cat and her kittens. The babies were snuggled together with their eyes closed and the mother eyed Erza curiously as she reached into the large kennel to scratch under her chin. She purred loudly.

"I'm worried about that man," Erza whispered to the cat. "I don't want to leave him alone. He seems off and –" she sighed. "Very, very lonely." The cat nudged her fingers and rumbled in her chest. "You're right. I know you're right."

Erza closed the kennel door and stood resolutely. She marched back through the hallways and found Jellal staring at the ceiling wide awake. He sat up when she walked into the room.

"I don't feel right about leaving you here on a pile of dog blankets. You're coming home with me."

* * *

Jellal seemed just as out of place on her sofa as he had on the blankets, but at the very least she felt better about his safety. The concern she had for him was a little surprising because he was clearly an adult, but didn't quite seem to have all his wits about him even though he spoke eloquently.

"Are you comfortable?" she asked, awkwardly hovering.

"Yes, thank you. I appreciate your hospitality. I hope it's not too much of an inconvenience."

"Absolutely not. I don't mind at all." She reached for the table lamp and pulled on the cord. "Try and get some sleep. I'll have another look at your eye tomorrow."

"Thank you, Erza." The way her name fell from his lips warmed her cheeks, and she quickly dismissed herself from the living room.

Twice she checked on him that first night. He slept with the marked side of his face up and Erza had to admit that Jellal was incredibly handsome. When she finally relaxed into her own bed and closed her eyes, the dreams that came were of glittering waters and waves tipped with iridescent dust.

* * *

Erza found the blankets folded neatly on the arm of the couch the next morning, but Jellal wasn't to be seen. She made a panicked circuit of her apartment before finally noticing the balcony door ajar. Jellal stood near the railing observing the city and its morning stream of commerce. She cleared her throat softly and leaned against the door frame.

"Good morning," she offered.

"Good morning, Erza. I hope you don't mind that I'm out here. This city is very different than where I'm from." His accent curled words on odd places and Erza gave up on trying to categorize it.

"How do you mean? Aren't all cities relatively the same?"

"Perhaps they are, but I'm not from here." His hands slid into the pockets of the scrubs she'd given him the night before. "This place... it has a different pulse."

"Pulse?"

"Yes. The city breathes differently. I'm unused to it."

"I see." Jellal certainly hadn't slept off the strangeness from the night before. "Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat. We should be going in about an hour."

"What is that place?" Jellal glanced back at her and pointed to something down on the street. Erza moved to stand beside him and tried to follow his finger.

"Oh that's just a food cart. They sell pastries and coffee in the mornings and sandwiches in the afternoon."

"It smells wonderful."

"You can smell that from all the way up here?" Erza quirked an eyebrow and eyed him curiously.

"There's a lot in your air, but I'm certain I can pick out that cart."

"We can eat there if you want on our way to the animal shelter. I need to check on the kittens before we open the doors today." Erza headed back inside and Jellal followed.

"The kittens have a strong spirit. I'm certain they survived the night."

"You're pretty heavy on intuition, Jellal. Are you an empath?"

He laughed as she handed him a towel and pointed toward the guest bathroom.

"I don't know. Erza..." he trailed off.

"What is it?"

"I don't know how I can repay you for this kindness. I have nothing here. I've never had nothing before." He grimaced and bowed his head.

"You don't have nothing, Jellal. You have a place to stay and a job. That's enough for now." He looked back up at her and shook his head in confusion. "You can stay with me as long as you need to and as long as you don't mind smelling like animals at the end of the day you can work for me, too."

"How can you lay such things at the feet of a strange man you've only just met? I've told you nothing of myself, save my name."

"I guess I have a weak spot for lost creatures." She smiled and flipped on the bathroom light. "Go ahead and have a shower. There's soap and stuff in there for you. We'll leave a little earlier than I normally do so you can have a donut."

"Are those the pastries you mentioned before?"

"Yep. They taste better than they smell." Erza left him in the hallway to dress for her day. She suspected Natsu would have something to say about him not only staying with her, but working in the shelter, as well. Hopefully he'd have the good sense to not question her judgement _too_ much.

* * *

Erza couldn't help her giggling as Jellal licked the glaze from his thumb. He'd selected the very plainest of donuts, but his reaction to them couldn't have been more dramatic. His eyes slid shut and the moan of pleasure he emitted made Erza blush a little. She bought him two of the donuts before ushering him down the street on their trek to the shelter.

"You don't have these kinds of foods where you come from?" she asked as he wiped the remaining sugar from his fingers with a napkin.

"We have baked goods, but they're rarely covered in a film of sweetness."

"A film of sweetness?" Erza laughed. "For future reference, it's called icing or glaze depending on who you ask."

"I enjoyed them very much. Is all food here so appetizing?"

"There's plenty of good stuff to eat but to be honest, donuts are in a class all their own."

"I can understand why." Jellal fell into a thoughtful silence as they walked.

"What's on your mind?"

"I was just thinking of someone who'd also enjoy your donuts very much. She has a preference for sweet things."

"A girlfriend?" Erza teased. Jellal smiled at the pavement in embarrassment.

"No, not in the way you mean. Just a friend. Her sister..." he trailed off again in the way Erza was becoming accustomed to. She didn't push him. "I was meant to marry her sister once. A betrothal arranged when I was still a child."

"Wow," she blurted. Jellal smiled sadly and Erza felt guilty for saying anything at all.

"They aren't uncommon where I'm from. We weren't in love, but the match would've been good for the people. Sorano was a brilliant politician. I'm sure she'll make her own way without me."

"I'm sorry you had to leave your home, Jellal," she said softly as they rounded the last corner.

"I knew the consequence of my decisions when I made them, and I have no regrets." The blue and yellow sign of the shelter came into view and Jellal stopped walking suddenly. He turned to her with a serious expression. "I'm alive and will take my second chance even if it's in an unfamiliar place. Your kindness has been a blessing from –" he cut off and smiled. "Well, it's been a blessing. Thank you, Erza."

"You're welcome, Jellal. I know what it's like to start over... more than once," she said with an awkward laugh. "I'm sorry all I can offer you is my couch and a job cleaning up after animals but –"

"It's enough."

Erza felt the blush returning and she turned back toward the shelter.

"We should get inside. Every day is unpredictable here, and I want to make sure you're okay before I toss you into the mix." Jellal nodded and followed her through the doors.

* * *

Erza's stomach rumbled as she shuffled through the stack of papers on her desk. The morning and early afternoon had been a steady stream of work and between checking over all the new kittens, arranging a handful of adoptions, her regular rounds, and making sure Jellal understood kennel procedure, she was only just attacking the clerical side of things.

"Hey, Erza!" a familiar voice called from the doorway. Erza glanced up to see Lucy smiling and clutching a bag of food.

"Oh, bless you, Lucy. I was about to –"

"Skip lunch? I know. Natsu texted me a little while ago begging for food. I thought I'd bring everyone lunch." Lucy glanced over the mess of papers. "Looks like you need more than just a sandwich in here."

Erza shook her head and pulled a stack of napkins from a drawer. "Some days I think it'll be the paperwork that kills me."

"You should hire a receptionist to do all of this, or a secretary." Lucy emptied the food bag and settled in the arm across from Erza. She unwrapped her own sandwich and passed the other to her friend.

"I know but I don't even have the time to interview anyone." Erza leaned back in her chair and chewed her bites slowly. She doubted she'd get another break until closing time.

"I can do it. I haven't been gone for so long that I've forgotten how to run things."

Erza eyed Lucy.

"Are you sure? I know you're busy getting things ready for the baby. You're on leave technically."

"I don't mind at all, Erza. I'm still on salary, and it's appalling that you haven't brought in a tech to fill my place for the months I'll be out."

"I don't want your place filled. I don't want to learn how to work with a new tech. Just the thought of explaining all of this to a receptionist makes me want to lie down right now and take a nap," Erza sighed and finished off her water.

"I'll train the new hire," Lucy said with a smile. "And before you push me away, just know I'm as ready for this baby as I'm ever going to be. I've still got a month left and I'm going crazy at home."

"Are you sure your doctor won't murder me?" Erza frowned. "Or Natsu?"

"Don't you worry about Natsu. And I can train from a desk chair." Lucy crumpled her trash and rested her hands over her belly. "Why don't you tell me more about the guy."

"The guy?" Erza raised an eyebrow and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Erza. _The guy._ The new guy in the back who's so hot he's _otherworldly_. The one Natsu said you guys pulled from behind a garbage bin last night." Erza stuffed the rest of her sandwich in her mouth to give herself time to think. She should've known Natsu would send Lucy in to talk some sense into her. "The one he was convinced you'd take home like a lost animal. So did you?"

"What?"

"Take him home?"

Erza signed loudly and cursed Natsu silently.

"So what if I did? He's not a serial killer or anything, Lucy. He's just a guy who needs some help getting back on his feet."

"Not a weirdo, huh? Natsu said you found him in some crazy armor."

"Okay so he's a little... odd. But..." Erza tapped her fingernails on the desk. "He's very... he's lost, Lucy. I don't know, but when you talk to him he gets this look in his eyes that just looks so... _lost._ "

"You've got a big heart, Erza. Just be careful."

"I'm fine. Jellal isn't dangerous. A little strange and out of sorts, but he'll be fine."

Lucy's face twisted into a sly grin. "He's incredibly good looking. Did he sleep on your couch or..."

" _Lucy!_ His attractiveness isn't something I care about," Erza said haughtily. "He slept on the couch, if you _must_ know." Lucy laughed and gathered the lunch trash.

"I'll be keeping an eye on you two, then."

"Please don't say anything embarrassing to him." Erza tossed the garbage into the bin next to her desk. "I need to tackle this paper mess. If you're still okay to hire someone for me, I'd sure appreciate it."

"Of course!" Lucy held her arms out in front of her with a smile. "I do need your help getting out of this chair, though."

* * *

Jellal was a fast learner. Natsu backed off his wariness quickly and seemed to get along with him pretty well. They worked together in a much more peaceful way than anyone else who'd ever shared duties with Natsu. Lucy had someone behind the front desk and handling most of Erza's paperwork within a week. Lisanna filled the position seamlessly, and for the first time in months Erza felt like she could breathe.

At first Jellal refused to allow Erza to purchase him any clothing on the grounds that she'd already done enough for him. It wasn't until she pointed out that scrubs weren't worn casually that he relented and accepted the clothes. He drew a hard line at the basics, and insisted on waiting until he'd been properly paid to expand his wardrobe. The tattoo on his face healed nicely, and when he smiled fully for the first time the usually subtle butterflies in Erza's stomach went wild. He really was otherworldly. There was a dimple in his left cheek that she especially loved.

It wasn't until she found Jellal quietly communing with an especially problematic, and _unadoptable_ , dog that she could admit she was hopelessly attracted to him. The chow chow was an older resident of her shelter that had been abused and abandoned. Erza had to sign a liability statement in court to prevent him from being euthanized, because he'd snapped at several police officers during the rescue. That particular dog had been the beginning of the end of her relationship with Simon. He'd sided with the police department and wanted him put down.

Erza chose the dog over Simon and named him Bear. He tolerated her presence with a cautious trust, but none of her male employees could even approach him without a deep warning growl. Seeing Bear with Jellal was a shock.

They sat together in the afternoon sun just beyond the shade of the awning behind the shelter. The fenced grassy area in the back served as a walking and play area for the more social animals. Bear was stretched out in the grass with his head resting on Jellal's thigh. His fluffy coat was a beautiful golden color in the sunlight and Erza couldn't remember a time when she'd actually seem him so peaceful. He allowed Jellal's hand to smooth the fur on his head but not beyond that, and Jellal didn't push. She left them to their solitude and returned to her office.

That night Jellal shocked her again.

"The dog you call Bear," he said after dinner. "He's in pain."

Erza blinked several times before responding.

"I don't know exactly how old he is but –"

"His spirit is restless even though his body is weak."

Erza sighed and set aside her fork.

"Jellal, your way with the animals is... astounding, to say the least. Bear doesn't take kindly to men and seeing him with you today was definitely a change, but when you say things about _spirit._.. I don't know what you mean."

"All living creatures have a spirit. Yours is very red." Erza felt her face heat up and quickly gathered the dishes.

"That's a very obtuse explanation."

"You asked before if I was an empath. What is an empath?" Erza filled the sink with hot water and added the soap. She watched as the suds expanded into a mound.

"An empath is a person who can read and feel others' emotions, I guess. Or at least sense them. Is that what you mean when you say spirit? Do you mean emotion?" Jellal didn't answer right away. She let him mull over his thoughts and turned her attention to washing the dishes. Seeing him in the yard with Bear had driven a thick wedge between the lines she'd told herself had to stay put and the things her heart wanted. Things that had only been a whisper before were growing louder.

His sudden presence beside her startled Erza out of her thoughts. He held out a hand for the wet dishes and dried them silently for a few moments.

"No a person's emotions aren't the same as a spirit. I never really thought of a distinction before. I suppose by your definition I am an empath, but where I come from it's not so special a thing we have a term for it." His fingers brushed over hers as he took another plate. "Spirit is more of a life force. It is a living, breathing thing. Spirit is life. Emotions are things you feel. I admit my abilities are muted here. I can't quite... it's not the same."

"Is it stronger with animals than people?"

"Not stronger, just different."

"How do you know Bear is in pain?"

"He's lonely and tired. The grass made him happier. I don't think he trusts me completely, though." Erza handed him the last of the dishes and pulled the stopper from the sink drain.

"Bear hasn't had a happy life. If he enjoys the grass I'm glad." She took a deep breath and spoke her next words all in a rush. "Jellal, I told myself I wouldn't pry into your personal business and I swear you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, but there's just a lot of questions that I have and I'm sorry if –"

"Ask me," he interrupted. "You deserve to know what and whom you're harboring in your home, Erza."

"Is it that serious?" she asked carefully and Jellal finally cracked a smile.

"That depends on how you look at it."

"Where are you from?"

"A place called Fiore."

"That's just flora in latin. You're from the flowers?" Erza meant the question to be a joke but her curiosity burned.

"I'm not surprised your world has a variant of our language but, no, I'm not from the flowers. Fiore is a place that exists separately to where we are now. You found me just after I'd crossed over." Erza stared at him trying to decide if he was making the whole thing up or if he really was out of his mind.

"Are you talking about magic or quantum mechanics?"

"I'm not familiar with quantum mechanics." Erza frowned and Jellal's eyes strayed to the open door that led to her patio balcony. "Come with me." She followed him outside and stood beside him as he gazed up at the heavens. "Your stars are different here but I'd recognize Polaris anywhere."

Erza watched Jellal close his eyes and didn't protest when he took her hand.

"As I said before," he said quietly. "My magic is muted here but..." Without warning Jellal pulled her into his chest and the wind whipped around them. She squeezed her eyes closed and clung to him tightly. "You can open your eyes now," he whispered.

Erza peeked around them and saw they were on the roof of her building. Planters lined the perimeter and the moonlight cast an ethereal glow on the concrete.

"Did we just... _fly?_ " she asked breathlessly.

"Not exactly. That particular spell is just a kind of hyper-movement. It seems I can only do this much at once and only when the stars are out." He grinned down at her. "I've been unsuccessful until now."

"Are you trying to lift off from my balcony every night? _Please_ tell me you're being safe. I can't handle waking up to you splattered on the sidewalk below."

Jellal laughed and brushed a ruffled strand of her hair behind an ear.

"I just exposed you to fae magic and you're worried about my safety?"

"Is that what you are? A fairy?"

"Fairy is more of a child's term but yes. It's what I am."

"Why are you here? Can you tell me?" For the first time since they'd landed on the roof Jellal's mouth fell into a frown.

"I was exiled here for disobeying an order given to me directly by The Conclave. They're a kind of parliamentary group in Fiore and wield far too much power for anyone's good."

"Was the order really so bad that you'd disobey knowing you'd be kicked out?" Erza watched the dark emotions play out on his face.

"Yes. I was a general in the Royal Army. The king wouldn't allow my execution, which I was prepared for. My expulsion here was the worst they could do to me." He balled his fists and stuffed them into his pants pockets. "In a way, you could say you're aiding and abetting a criminal."

"You aren't a criminal here."

"The worst part of it was knowing The Conclave's orders were followed by someone else. I didn't actually save anyone." Jellal's eyes slid back up to the unfamiliar stars. His chest rose and fell several times before Erza stepped into him again and wrapped her arms around his middle.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I didn't mean to make you sad. You didn't have to tell me any of that."

"I wanted you to know." His arms circled her shoulders snugly. "Perhaps my redemption is in this world. I don't know. But the kindness you've shown me over the last few weeks means a great deal." He laughed lightly and Erza pulled back to peer up at him.

"What's so funny?"

"I didn't expect you to be so accepting, that's all. I imagine it's a lot to take in."

"Well, yes. But to be honest, Jellal, there's always been something a little off about you. I mean, we found you in _armor_. Your accent is bizarre, your speech is sometimes just a little _too_ formal, and... well, I've never seen anyone with a tattoo like that on their face before."

"The tattoo was part of my expulsion. It's a mark meant to identify me as a traitor. The ink is irreversible magic. The Conclave put it on me just before I stepped into the pond."

"I had a feeling it was extremely new."

"I feel like I've said this a thousand times recently but I will continue to say it. Thank you, Erza. I owe you everything I have."

"You don't owe me anything. But –" She hugged him tighter in the chill of night. "I'd settle for a ride back to my balcony."

"Of course." Jellal held her close and the wind whipped around them once more.


	5. TG,tML,atSS (Part Two)

_**"Anonymous asked: Could you do a human and fairy au please"**_

 _ **Continuation of the previous chapter. My graciously long-suffering beta is MeraNaamJoker/Partlygood. This particular prompt will be rated M for sexytimes. Thank you for your patience, anon.**_

* * *

 **The General, the Mountain Lily, and the Scarlet Sage - Part Two**

* * *

Lucy's baby came on a Thursday, exactly one week after the expected due date. Natsu had been a mess for days. His frantic exit from the building the afternoon Lucy finally called to tell him she was on her way to the hospital was a relief for everyone. By the time Erza was ready to lock the front doors, he'd blown up her phone with at least ten pictures of his new baby girl.

As Erza approached the lobby, she heard Jellal's voice mingling with Lisanna's laugh. They were speaking too quietly for her to hear what was said, but the pang of jealousy stung unexpectedly. She didn't want to feel jealous at all. Jellal wasn't her property – even if she did feel that she had somewhat of a claim on him because he'd confided in her his identity and origins.

Erza huffed in frustration and scolded herself mentally before rounding the corner. Lisanna clutched the strap of her bag and leaned casually against the front desk. Jellal stood a few feet away smiling at whatever she'd just said. The scene wasn't what she'd pictured – in her head the scenario had been much more flirtatious.

"Hey, Erza," Lisanna said. "I shut everything down for the evening. Did you need anything else before I go?"

"No, I think we're done for the day." Erza shoved her jealousy aside and held the front door open. "Are you doing okay up here without Lucy?"

"Oh, yes. She was very thorough. There's a lot of little details but following a procedure helps." Lisanna smiled and Erza couldn't help but smile back.

"I'm glad. I can't tell you what a load off my shoulders it is to have some help."

"I enjoy it very much! Thank you for the opportunity!" Lisanna waved at them both before stepping out of the building. "I'll see you in the morning!"

Erza locked the door behind her and sighed heavily. When she turned around, Jellal's mouth was still curved in a small grin. She cleared her throat awkwardly.

"I really like Lisanna. Her cheerful mood is always so contagious."

"That it is. She reminds me very much of someone else."

"Your former fiancée?" Erza joked, though she hoped it was untrue.

"No." Jellal chuckled lightly. "Her sister. Yukino was never half as serious as my intended."

"I see. Was she your favorite?"

He laughed again. "Not at all. Comparing the two is like pitting peaches and plums against one another."

"I don't believe I've heard that analogy before."

"I'm still learning your fruits here," Jellal said with a wink. "I'll do a final sweep in the kennel before we go." He fell into step beside her as she headed back to her office.

"Okay," Erza mumbled. She wished she could keep her attraction to him better controlled. In the last month and a half she'd spiraled into a full blown, excitable schoolgirl level crush. She jumped when he bumped her shoulder playfully with his own.

"And if you're curious what my favorite is: I prefer red hair to any other color," he said, just loud enough for her to hear.

* * *

Erza knew it was selfish, but the second she heard Simon's voice carrying down the hall from the lobby she wished Natsu had come in that morning. He was much better with deflecting unwelcome visitors to the shelter whether they were abusive pet owners, rejected adoption applicants, or – in this case – a stifling ex-boyfriend, but he'd taken a few days off to be with Lucy.

Simon hadn't handled their breakup well and dragged things out painfully for weeks, refusing to believe the relationship was over. His status as a police officer kept her from filing any complaints, as the local precinct still wasn't happy with her for refusing to allow Bear to be put down. Simon had always been a little _intense,_ but the way he hovered lodged a knot of anxiety in her stomach. She hoped his absence hadn't actually just been him gearing up for a second attempt at regaining her affections.

With a shaking hand, Erza grabbed the receiver of the phone mounted to the wall in the hallway just outside the kennel. She hated to shoulder Lisanna with Simon but a simple ' _I'm afraid Erza isn't in right now'_ should be enough to get him off the premises. It wasn't until her trembling fingers brushed the number pad that she remembered Lisanna had left for lunch only a few minutes before. Footsteps behind her made her stomach plummet right out of her body and to the floor.

"Hey, Erza," Simon drawled, grinning at her when she spun around. "You look good. Have you lost weight?"

Erza chewed her lip anxiously. He'd always had a way of complimenting yet simultaneously swiping at her insecurities.

"Uh –"

"Listen," he interrupted before she could even get a word out. "I was thinking about you this morning, and I just thought I'd drop by and see if you wanted to take off for lunch with me."

"I can't."

"Why not? It's your place; you can leave things for a while. Is that hothead Natsu still working for you? He won't mind if you leave him in charge."

"Natsu isn't here today, I –" Erza cursed herself harshly. She'd just admitted she was essentially alone.

"Oh no? That wife of his finally pop out a baby?" Simon laughed and Erza felt the panic rising slowly up her spine as he closed in on her.

"Um, yes. So, I can't really leave. You should go," she stammered.

"But I just wanted to see you. We can talk here, right? I've forgiven you for choosing that mutt over me. I know how emotional you can be and it's okay!"

"You... _what?_ " Erza's mind reeled. He couldn't possibly be serious.

"You've put me through a lot these last few months, but I'm going to let that go because I care so much about you. I'm an understanding guy, Erza."

"Simon, you need to leave."

"Why? We're just having a conversation. Am I not allowed to talk to you now?" He laughed and Erza's palms itched. Simon stepped closer and touched the end of her ponytail that draped over her shoulder. His fingers slid through the strands before grasping her arm. She shrunk away from him against the wall and clutched the phone receiver that was still in her hands. "Come on, Erza. I'm being real nice here."

"Is there a problem?" A voice sliced right through the tightening knot of anxiety. Erza peered around Simon's shoulder and saw Jellal standing in the doorway that led to the grassy yard. He had an unleashed Bear with him, and the dog's hackles were visibly raised.

"Who's this, Erza? I never can keep your new employees straight." Simon released her to turn and adjust his belt where his sidearm was holstered. It was an intimidation tactic she'd seen him use more than once. Erza left the receiver hanging and quickly moved to Jellal's side.

"Everything is fine, Jellal, thank you," she said with as much stiff professionalism she could muster. Simon seemed to finally notice Bear. He glared down at the dog whose lip curled menacingly as a low growl rumbled from his chest.

"Is that the same dog that nearly took my buddy's hand off? I could ticket you right now for not having him on a leash." Simon's voice was threatening but he took several steps back.

"If I'm not mistaken," Jellal said smoothly but not without a hard edge, "this animal shelter is considered private property. He isn't required to be leashed here if properly supervised and in employee-restricted areas."

Erza stared at Jellal in shock. She had no idea where or when he'd had the time and opportunity to learn the legalities of Bear's case. Simon's eyes narrowed.

"He doesn't look properly supervised to _me_."

"He is. Do you have a warrant to search this property for unsupervised animals, Officer..." Jellal made a show of peering at Simon's name tag. "Mikazuchi, is it? Did you properly inform Lisanna of your intent to search the property upon entering? Or Erza? Do you have the paperwork? I understand there's procedure for such things. Or are you here on personal business?"

"It won't matter in court." Simon sneered.

"I believe in this case it will. Erza, did you invite Officer Mikazuchi back into the restricted kennel area?" He canted his body toward her and all she could do was shake her head no. Of course she knew Jellal had been a high ranking military officer in his own world, so his quick grasp of legalities in hers shouldn't have shocked her. "I see. So you're trespassing then, Officer?"

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Simon demanded, taking an ill-advised step forward that prompted Bear to press his body against Jellal's leg and emit another growl.

"Just a concerned citizen," Jellal said with a grin.

"Erza, this isn't over." Simon scowled at her.

"It's _been_ over, Simon," she said quietly. "Please go."

Simon directed a final glare at Jellal before turning to stalk back down the hallway, his boots squeaking on the linoleum. When she heard the bells on the front door chiming with his departure, Erza exhaled heavily. She left Jellal's side to finally hang up the phone and lean against the wall for support.

"Are you okay?" Jellal asked.

Erza slid down the wall into a crouch and stared at her hands.

"I'm sorry you had to step in and see all that. He's my ex."

"I know. Natsu informed me." Erza wanted to be annoyed with Natsu for telling Jellal her personal business, but she could only be grateful. Maybe it was gossip, or maybe Natsu had just been passing along information about Bear... or maybe he'd anticipated Simon dropping by when he wouldn't be around to deflect. For all his short-tempered, loud-mouthed bluster, Natsu was a good friend.

"He makes me feel like I'm drowning," Erza whispered. "When we were together I thought it was normal for him to suffocate me like that." She didn't know why she was telling Jellal anything about it at all, but she wanted him to understand why she hadn't thrown Simon out on her own. "He said he loved me and I believed it. The situation with Bear was the catalyst I needed to push him away. Our breakup was a long time coming."

"I'm sorry," Jellal said in the same quiet tone he took with Bear. Their roles had been reversed. Erza stood and ran her hands over the front of her shirt.

"It's not your fault, Jellal. He's gone now and I think I'm distressing the dog." She smiled down at Bear, who was still pressed into Jellal's leg.

"He's just concerned about you. I think if I hadn't intervened he would've attacked on his own. Bear is very protective of you."

"He told you all that?" Erza's eyebrows flew up and Jellal laughed.

"It's not quite conversational telepathy, but more of a heavy pulse of feeling. I can't read thoughts or distinct emotions, but I have a vague idea of his mindset if he's reacting strongly to stimuli."

"Simon's presence was a negative stimuli, then?"

"Very much so. He saw his savior threatened and it was upsetting."

 _"Savior?"_

"That's how he sees you, yes. His distrust of humans in general is an instinctual reaction, but he does place a value on your life in particular."

"He trusts _you_ more than _me_ , though."

"Well," Jellal smiled. "I'm not quite human, am I?"

"No, I guess not," Erza said, breaking into a small grin. Her chest felt lighter and her earlier anxiety was all but gone. "Thank you again, Jellal."

"It wasn't a problem, Erza. You're welcome."

"I'm going to take a break at the front desk until Lisanna gets back," she said with a final sigh. "I can't handle any more surprise visitors creeping up on me in the hallways."

"Of course." Jellal nudged Bear with his knee, and the dog eyed her once more with wide, concerned eyes before following him back outside to the grass.

* * *

One by one Erza scrubbed their dinner plates in a thoughtful silence. Equally contemplative, Jellal took them from her for drying. Their evening rituals brought her a peace of mind. She wasn't sure if it came from the ritual itself, or the fact that it belonged to the both of them as a pair. When she pulled the drain plug and wiped her hands clean, she turned to look up at him. He smiled and the tip of his tattoo crinkled on his cheek, giving way to the dimple she loved so much.

"I know I said so earlier today, but thank you again for helping me out of a frustrating situation," Erza said softly.

"You're welcome, Erza. My own feelings aside, I don't think Bear would've forgiven me if I'd let Simon bully you further."

"Jellal," she began slowly. The urge to tell him how she felt and wait for either reciprocation or a boundary line had become inescapable. "I'm inching closer and closer to a place where I don't know what I'd do without you both at work..." She awkwardly slipped a stray wisp of hair from her eyes. "And at home."

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked with a ghost of the smile from only a moment before.

"I'm not sure yet. I guess that depends a great deal on how you feel about it. We haven't ever really discussed... well, _anything_." Erza shrugged in an attempt at nonchalance, but knew she failed miserably. Her heart beat far too rapidly in her chest for casual conversation. "For all I know you're itching for your own space. I don't want to hold you back is what I'm saying, I guess."

"I can clear that up for you if you'd like." His voice was low and his eyes on her felt hot. "Erza, there isn't anywhere else I'd rather be than with you. I was told love blooms slowly, but have realized that's not always true. All I needed was a few weeks."

Erza blushed deeply and tugged on the edge of his shirt before hiding her face against his chest. Jellal's arm wrapped around her shoulders and she felt his cheek on the crown of her head.

"You came out of nowhere, Jellal," she whispered. "And I know what had to happen for you to be here but –"

"The past is in the past. I wouldn't go back if I could." When Erza looked up at him again, he smiled, and a breath caught in her throat. Jellal's fingertips brushed over the still warm apple of her cheek. His eyes penetrated hers in a way that left her feeling completely bare. "This, right here, is all I want."

She had just enough time to breathe before he ducked his head and kissed her. Jellal's lips were soft and insistent. The way his body drew her in was a gentle destruction of every line, every rule, every excuse why she _shouldn't_ want him. Erza's hands slid over his chest and around his neck. Her skin tingled with excitement as his palms fell to her waist and held her against him.

Jellal's touch didn't lessen the tension in her chest. Instead he brought her closer to an edge she hadn't dared consider before. Her mind dulled and all she could do was _feel_. Erza's lips parted and she couldn't help the shudder that raced through her veins when his tongue brushed over hers. Suddenly he lifted her to the edge the kitchen counter and Erza trapped him between her thighs. Jellal's hand slid over her leg, fingers stopping frustratingly just under the hem of her shorts.

He pulled away, and she thought maybe he spoke, but all she dwelled on was the loss of his mouth against hers.

"Erza."

"Hm?" Her eyes opened slowly and he grinned at her.

"I said your phone is ringing."

"Is it?" she asked, still not completely sure what had happened. Jellal chuckled and pressed the device into her hand. He kissed her quickly once more before helping her off the counter.

"Maybe it's important." Jellal's hands disappeared into his pockets. After he'd left her in the kitchen Erza glared down at her phone. Nothing could _possibly_ be more important that what had just been happening.

* * *

The thump in the living room was followed by a clatter in the bathroom and the sound of rushing crawled out of bed and peered beyond the cracked door to find Jellal breathing heavily and leaning over the basin. Droplets of water fell from his chin and his hands curled around the edges of the sink.

"Jellal?" she asked softly. "Are you okay?"

He stood suddenly and jumped back as if he were surprised to find her beside him.

"Uh –" His eyes flit around the small room before he grabbed a hand towel from the rack. He dried his face quickly but still seemed agitated. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"I am." He attempted to smile for her but it was really more of a grimace. "Did I wake you?"

"Yes, but I'm more worried about you than my sleep." Erza took his hand and squeezed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about." He pulled her into an embrace and hid his face in her neck. "It was just a very vivid dream. You should go back to bed. Tomorrow will be busy."

"Back to bed?" she asked lightly.

"Mmhm."

"You have to let go of me first." Erza breathed a laugh and ran her fingers through his sleep ruffled hair. Jellal tightened his arms around her before inching back.

"Sorry," he said, but his grin implied otherwise.

"Why don't you stay with me for the rest of the night?" she offered pulling him toward her bedroom. "It might help if you're not alone."

"You mean in your bed?" Jellal's eyebrow quirked curiously.

"Well, we both can't fit on the couch," Erza said with a smile. "I promise I won't bite you."

"Are you sure you want me there? It's only been a few days since –"

"Jellal," she interrupted firmly. "You've been here now for about two months. If vivid dreams that have you falling off the couch and dousing your face with cold water in the middle of the night were a normal thing for you, I'd have noticed by now."

"Well –"

"It's one thing if you don't want the company, but if you _do_ please don't be alone just because of some imaginary construct of propriety." Erza gazed up at him and let Jellal work though his reservations.

"It isn't about the company, Erza," he murmured. "It's about crossing a line. If I stay in your bed tonight, I don't know that I could move backwards."

Her arms slid around his waist and she pressed her cheek against his shoulder. His fingers toyed with the strands of hair stuck in the strap of her nightgown. When his erratic heart rate slowed, she pressed a kiss to his chest and stepped back.

"I don't want to move backwards either," Erza whispered. "Come to bed if you want. Couches are for sitting." She turned and left him in the hallway.

At first she didn't think he'd follow. He'd been right, of course. Only four days had passed since that first kiss in the kitchen. They'd shared what felt like dozens of kisses since then but their progression wasn't exactly typical. Were they dating? _Should_ they be dating? Did she even care about that? All she really knew for certain was he'd told her he loved her and she was waiting for the perfect moment to say it back.

The complicated jumble of thought dimmed when the mattress dipped behind her and Jellal slid under the sheets. Erza rolled over, tucked her head under his chin, and draped her arm over his hip.

"You were right," he said just before she fell asleep. "Couches are for sitting."

* * *

The following afternoon she found him crouched against the back wall of the building with a concerned Bear pressed against his side. His fingers were clutching a handful of hair tightly and his eyes were squeezed shut in what looked like headache pain. Erza turned back into the building and returned with a bottle of water and two white pills. She sat beside him and Bear whimpered softly as he nudged Jellal's arm with his nose. When Jellal finally opened his eyes, the expression on his face could only be classified as pitiful.

"I don't know if these will work for you but if you're in pain it might be worth a shot." She handed him the water and pills. Jellal took them and emptied the water bottle quickly. "Is this related to last night?"

"Maybe," Jellal offered. "I'm not sure." He sat in what felt like an internal debate for a long moment before speaking again. "Saying this sounds weird even for me but it almost feels like this mark on my face is causing the headache. Last night it felt very hot, and that's why I was in the bathroom."

"It's not typical tattoo ink, right?"

"I'm not sure what tattoo ink consists of here, but I doubt it. Rune and script magic has never been my specialty, and I know very little of their makeup. Sorano's sister dabbled in runes for a while but, like me, she was ultimately drawn to the sky." Jellal seemed to be talking to himself more than her. He caught himself and straightened a little. "The exile marks aren't like other marks. They have special properties, and I wouldn't put it past The Conclave to have made mine especially potent." He grimaced at her. "They wanted me dead. The King's intervention was probably seen as a slap in the face."

"Are you dying?" Erza asked with barely concealed horror.

"No." He smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm not dying. A lethal rune would be much larger than what I've got on my face."

She wanted to be reassured, but Jellal's concern was plain even to Bear.

* * *

Jellal's headaches didn't let up, and his sleeping patterns were frequently interrupted. He tried to mask his suffering, but Erza could tell he was frustrated with the situation. She hated not being able to help him at all, but they both agreed seeing an actual doctor wouldn't be a good idea. Besides the fact that Jellal wasn't human and his biological makeup would likely alarm any medical staff, he still didn't have any proper identification to speak of – a problem Natsu promised to solve. When Erza asked how he intended to get his hands on a believable fake identification card, he'd only grinned and said he knew a guy.

Despite the dreams that kept him from actually sleeping at night, Jellal hadn't moved back to the couch. Her favorite part of the evening no longer revolved on shared rituals but the moment Jellal stretched out beside her with his damp hair smelling of soap. The temptation to straddle his waist and drag him across the final line between them had built itself up to a punishing level.

"Tomorrow is Halloween," Erza said sitting up beside him. "Do you want to wear a costume for when the kids come by? They always like to see the animals."

"I don't understand this holiday." Jellal leaned back on the pillows and crossed his arms behind his head. The way his muscles bunched and stretched the short sleeves of his shirt as he did so always drove her to distraction.

"It's a very old celebration and originated elsewhere, but now it's mostly a holiday for kids. They dress up and collect candy."

"Natsu said he was going to put his daughter in a vampire cape because of the way she eats." Erza snorted and rolled her eyes at the reference. "Lucy punched him in the arm and called him a vulgar fool."

"Natsu _is_ a fool sometimes. I can't believe he said that in front of Lucy... or _anyone_ really."

"Can babies even have candy?" Jellal asked.

"No. I don't think she even has teeth yet. Natsu will probably be eating it."

"Is that not cheating?"

"It is." Erza sighed. "But people do it all the time."

"I see. I still think it's a strange holiday." Jellal sat up and took her hand. He kissed the tips of her fingers and tugged her into his lap. "Are _you_ going to wear a costume?" he asked, brushing his lips over the shell of her ear.

"I usually don't." Erza situated herself over his hips and draped her arms around his shoulders.

"That's a shame." Jellal lowered his lips to her neck and nudged the strap of her nightgown aside. "Lisanna had a magazine of costumes last week, and I don't think I'd mind seeing you in any of those."

"Let me guess." Erza laughed as he tightened his arms around her waist. "Skin tight cat suits and sexy nurse uniforms, right?"

"I'm told the sexy superhero costumes are very popular."

"If that's what it'll take to get you to consider this bed for anything other than sleeping, I'll buy one for every day of the week." She pulled back a fraction, and the expression on his face sent a wave of excitement rolling through her body.

"Is that what you think holds me back, Erza?" he asked, in a tone that made her stomach twist. "A lack of enticing costume?" Jellal's fingers grazed over her thigh and under the edge of her nightgown to settle on her hip.

"Well –" She wet her lips and squirmed closer.

"Because I assure you the scraps of fabric advertised in the pages of holiday publications could not possibly make you any more appealing to me than what you're in right now."

"But you never..." Erza's face flushed in embarrassment. "You never try to... uh..."

"Seduce you?" Jellal's grin made her feel even more awkward. She hid her face in his shoulder and tried to break the tension with a laugh.

"Yeah, I guess." She sat up again. "We sleep in the same bed every night and you've never even attempted to push things any further than kissing. I just wondered if maybe you didn't find me as _pleasing_ as you anticipated?" When he didn't respond right away she felt her ears burning and moved to scoot off his lap, but Jellal held fast to her waist.

"Forgive me, Erza. I was caught off guard by the idea that I don't want you." She sigh when he leaned closer to kiss her neck again. "I do want you. Sleeping beside you every night – and _only_ sleeping – is an exercise in self-restraint."

Erza huffed in annoyance. "But why are you doing that?"

"Because." He exhaled heavily. "Erza, I was promised to Princess Sorano when I was nine years old. I grew up in the shadow of the palace and groomed to support her future on the throne as King. I'm not quite used to having the freedom in choosing my own... partner."

"Jellal, have you done this before? You're... I mean you've been with someone... _right?_ " She couldn't quite bring herself to ask him if he was a virgin. The thought kind of horrified her.

"Yes, of course! It just wasn't like _this_."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Sorano and I weren't in love. We were barely compatible as friends, to be honest." Jellal shook his head and laughed. "One day she got it in her head that maybe we didn't have to _love_ each other. If we could somehow just cultivate a _lust,_ it wouldn't be so bad being shackled together."

"Wow," Erza said plainly. "And how did that work out?"

"We were quite young, Erza. I'd just been promoted to captain and thought myself very manly at seventeen. As it turns out, we were not compatible as lovers either. It only happened three times in the space of as many years. After that we came to an agreement that there'd be two children once we were married and never spoke of sex again."

"I'm sorry," she offered. "That sounds very lonely."

"At the time I didn't think so. Standing at her right as a royal figurehead was what I'd been raised to do. Neither of us had much of a choice." Jellal's lips curled back into a grin. "So can you see what I mean when I say seduction and love isn't something I'm experienced in? I _want_ you, Erza. Having you against me all night long with these strappy nightgowns you wear all the time is going to slowly drive me mad."

"Well, we can't have that." Erza closed the distance between them and kissed him with a possessive force. Jellal fell back into the pillows and tossed aside the nightgown.

Despite logic to the contrary, she took it as a point of personal pride that he didn't wake from any disturbing dreams that night.

* * *

One week after Halloween Jellal brought a newspaper folded open to what looked like a weather report.

"What's this? You have a weather app on your new phone, right?" she asked picking up the paper.

"This isn't typical weather but celestial events, Erza." He raised his eyebrows at her lack of response. "I don't recognize this name _Leonids_ but we have the same kind of meteor shower in Fiore. It happens once every thirty-three years just after the harvest."

"I don't mean to be dense here, Jellal, but I don't understand what any of that means to you." She watched with curious interest as he glanced down the hallway and pulled her office door shut.

"My magic always drew its power from the stars. On a night with a celestial event like a meteor shower it would be at its peak." He paced the length of her office rambling to himself. "It's possible these dreams and headaches are simply at the onset of this meteor shower and will stop once it's occurred."

"You think your magic is reacting to a meteor shower that's over a week away?" she asked carefully. Jellal stopped pacing and looked at her with a desperate expression. Neither of them could deny the problem had been worsening. "I don't want to take this possible relief away from you, Jellal, but you've said more than once the mark on your face burns when you dream. And the day after your head pounds all day."

"Do you think I sound crazy?" He stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared at his shoes. Erza felt terrible. She stood and stepped around her desk to pull him into a tight embrace.

"No, I don't. I think you're suffering and want to find a solution. I wish I could fix it for you." Jellal said nothing but braced himself against her in a way Erza found particularly heartbreaking.

* * *

When Erza woke in her bed alone for the third time that week, she made a decision. Jellal's behavior had become increasingly worrisome and she suspected his dreams were more than just _vivid._ She found him in the bathroom standing beside the bathtub he'd, apparently, just filled with water. In his hand was a kitchen knife.

"I promise I'm not losing my mind," he said turning his head to smile sadly at her. "I should've realized what was happening before but I just didn't think of it."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, stepping into the bathroom.

"If my magic wasn't so stunted here, I'd have figured it out." Jellal opened his free hand and inspected his palm. "It must be something very important for her to keep at it like this," he mumbled.

"Jellal, you're scaring me," she pleaded.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to." Quicker than she could believe Jellal sliced across his palm with the knife. A few drops of blood welled from the cut and he crouched at the edge of the tub. "This is going to be... strange."

"Stranger than finding you in the bathroom with a tub full of water and a knife? _Jesus, Jellal!_ What's going on?" Erza tried to control her voice but the rising panic in her chest wouldn't be contained.

Jellal tossed aside the knife and held out his uninjured hand. With a pounding heart, Erza joined him beside the tub and took it. He smiled a little and squeezed her fingers.

"I'm sorry for scaring you." His eyes slid back down, and Erza watched as he lowered his bleeding hand into the water. Even more shocking than what she'd seen thus far, the bathwater turned a deep purple and she thought for sure there was a reflection that didn't belong to her _or_ Jellal. Despite the still-murky face, the woman's words were clear.

"General!" she said in a much younger voice than Erza expected.

"You don't have to call me that anymore, Princess," Jellal said quietly. "My magic isn't strong here and I can't keep my end open for long."

"I'm sorry, Jellal. I'm sorry for everything that happened."

"It wasn't your fault."

"That doesn't mean I don't feel remorse. So many things happened that day and fa–" The water darkened suddenly the woman's voice was lost for a moment. "–bles. There's no one to lead. Sorano is trying to rally the new senate but she's at the end of her rope. She suspects certain factions have been paid off and without the generals the military is useless. _Please, Jellal_ –"

"I don't understand. You're breaking up. What do you mean there's no one to lead? The King –"

"Is _dead_ , Jellal! Have you heard nothing I said?" her voice rose with anxiety.

 _"What?"_ he gasped. "The King is dead?"

"Yes! The Conclave mu–" The bathwater rippled, and Erza glanced up at Jellal, whose face had hardened into a mask of anger.

 _"Yukino!"_ He growled and stirred the water with his still-bleeding hand.

"Jellal, listen to me," she suddenly came through loud and clear. "I can bring you through one last time during the meteor shower. Your magic was always strongest during celestial events. In three days I can summon you."

Erza's confusion thrummed through her veins, and she felt Jellal's pulse quicken in his wrist as the woman went on.

"The particles in your exile mark have enough magic to help you through. I wrote the spell myself." A commotion behind the silver-haired princess drew her attention and she quickly glanced behind her. "You must be under the stars in three days when the moon is highest. Please, Jellal. We need you."

The water suddenly went very dark then clear again. The only color that remained was the cloud of blood. Erza pulled his hand from the tub and pressed a towel to his palm. She had a lot of questions but couldn't put words to any of them. Instead of asking about anything that just happened, she cleaned his hand and grabbed the first aid kit from under her sink. Jellal said nothing as Erza dressed the cut.

"You should wait for me in the bedroom, okay? I'm going to empty the tub and rinse this bloody towel," she said softly. Jellal vacated the bathroom and Erza did her best to swallow all her anxiety, even though the thought of Jellal being taken away from her filled her chest with uncertainty.

She found him perched on the edge of the bed. When Erza tossed the wet towel into the pile of other dirty clothes, he opened his arms and pulled her into the bed with him.

"I don't want to go," he whispered into her hair.

"Jellal," she began. "I don't want you to leave either, but some of the things she said –"

"The old King's death is a loss, yes. I won't deny that if he was truly murdered by The Conclave the upset caused would create a politically unstable environment, but if she really needed me Sorano would've contacted me herself." Jellal nodded to himself resolutely.

"What did she mean when she said she wrote the spell herself?"

"Yukino's rune master sat on The Conclave. It's not hard to imagine a situation where the old lady caught the scent of an assassination and instructed her apprentice to write a failsafe into my mark."

"Why wouldn't she have done something to prevent the murder instead?" Erza asked with a gasp.

"Because The Conclave is vicious. They'd been anticipating his death for years. If she'd gotten in the way her cover would've been blown, I'm sure. But Erza –" Jellal's eyes bore into hers. "I don't want to go back."

"What would you do if you did?"

"Yukino mentioned the generals are gone. I don't know what that means exactly, but there were only five of us to begin with. If there's no military leadership, it's likely I'd be used to restore order."

"And how long would that take?"

"I don't know. If there's already a senate in place..." Jellal trailed off and eyed her. "You think I should go."

"I don't want you to do anything you hate, but what if you miss the window and regret it later?" Jellal's head fell to her shoulder and she ran her fingers through his hair. "Will you be able to come back once you're on the other side?"

"Yes..." Jellal said slowly. "But Erza –"

"Then I'll wait."

"I don't know what's waiting for me there. What if it's a trap?"

"Jellal, you've already been exiled. What motivation would anyone have to trap you?" She gently kissed his forehead. "I'll wait for you."

His only response was to hold her tightly against him, press his face to the crook of her neck, and breathe deeply.

* * *

The sky was free of clouds and streaked with the tails of meteors. Erza gazed up at the moon and squeezed Jellal's hand. He'd stuck by her side all day, and in any other situation she'd have been annoyed. The roof of her building was empty except for the two of them, and she could feel the tension rolling off him when she leaned into his side.

"I'll miss you," she said. It was a silly thing to say, but as much as she'd been preparing herself for this moment, the words that finally came fell far short of what she meant.

"Not as much as Bear will miss me."

"I'll take care of your dog. We'll be fine." She inhaled a shaky breath and tried to tap into practicalities. "Do you have everything?"

"I do." Jellal continued to smile down at her in a wistful way. "I won't be gone long. I promise I'll come back to you."

"Make sure that you do." Erza poked him in the chest before hugging him fiercely. He held her close until his form began to waver. Tears leaked from her eyes as she stepped back and watched him disappear.

"I won't say goodbye, Erza. I'll come back." The last of his words were only a whisper to her ears before he was gone. The night was suddenly cold, and Erza tucked her arms around her body. He'd promised he would return. She had to believe Jellal kept his promises.

* * *

The way Bear was starting to show his age bothered her. He wasn't a young dog when Erza took him in, but after Jellal's departure he seemed to fall into a depression. She understood his feelings. Even though Bear wouldn't be coaxed into the grass by anyone but Jellal, she spent her lunch breaks in his private run offering bits of turkey from her sandwich. It was a full two weeks before he nudged her shoulder with his nose. Erza wondered how much of a hassle purchasing a house with a backyard would be.

Only Natsu pulled her aside and asked about Jellal's whereabouts. His concern was touching, but his curiosity was obvious. Erza had nothing believable to tell him, though, and eventually he stopped pestering her. After the one month mark she gave in to reality and hired another person to help Natsu out in the kennel. Gray wasn't nearly as easy for him to work with as Jellal, but the work needed to be done.

Erza decided she would start looking at houses in January. She wasn't sure how Bear would react to her taking him home, but he was much more comfortable with her now and had dragged the jacket Jellal left draped over the back of the couch to his dog bed. His obvious loneliness broke her heart.

* * *

The first dream hit her like a freight train. There'd been a lot of yelling and a vague sense of extreme frustration. She chalked it up to all the seafood she'd had at Lucy's Christmas party and didn't ponder on it too much. Erza often had stress dreams conveying an overall theme of futility, and her first meeting with a real estate agent combined with too much shrimp could absolutely be the cause of it.

Her dining table was piled high with financial statements and tax forms, and her email inbox had been stuffed with links to various properties her agent had sent. Erza didn't want to look at any of it, and took to having her dinner on the couch. Digging through available properties could wait until the morning.

She still kept to her side of the bed. Jellal would be back. _He'd promised_. These were always the last thoughts on her mind before falling asleep.

 _"Love suits you," the silver-haired woman said with a coy smile. "I've never seen you this way." She touched her finger to the pool of purple water._

 _"And what of you? Now that you're free of contracts and arrangements, is there no one you desire?" the soldier asked._

 _"Oh, Jellal," she laughed. "You always were easily driven to distraction. I quite enjoy being alone. I'll probably never marry, and leave the next generation to my sister. She and her dark-haired lover are quite smitten."_

 _"Do you suppose your father would be disappointed in how things turned out?"_

 _The woman was silent as she stirred the surface of the pool with her fingertip._

 _"No, I don't. Despite the way he clung to the old traditions, I believe he'd be pleased with the new senate and my place among its ranks."_

 _"He did say you'd be best for the task."_

 _"Did he?" she asked with a wistful smile. "Even though we are no longer engaged, I'll be sorry to see you go again. You've always been a good friend to me and my sister, Jellal. Thank you."_

 _"You're welcome, Sorano."_

 _"Yukino promises me she'll have the spell in a fortnight... I'm sorry about your exile mark. I'd hoped to remove it."_

 _"I don't care about the mark anymore. It means nothing."_

 _"You deserve your peace, Jellal. I truly believe a garden of ever blooming scarlet sage will make you happier than the elusive mountain lily ever could."_

 _The silver-haired woman leaned over the pond and whispered words in a strange but vaguely familiar language. Her mouth moved quickly and the waters in the pool began to swirl._

Erza bolted up in her bed to the sound of her alarm blaring. She reached over and slid her finger across the surface of her phone. The screeching stopped. Her hair clung to her neck with sweat, and she tried to recall the dream while it was fresh in her mind, but the details were already slipping.

What a way to start the new year.

* * *

She signed the contract on a three bedroom brick house with a decent sized yard on the tenth of January, just before the two month anniversary of Jellal's departure. In roughly three weeks she'd have a house _and_ a dog. The concept of it was overwhelming, and her packing process consisted mostly of tossing things in boxes and stacking them in the empty corner of her living room.

Lisanna had promised to help her out on the big day and bring her brother to help with heavy lifting, and Lucy had volunteered Natsu's hands as well. In the back of Erza's mind, she still believed Jellal would come back and packed his clothes along with hers as if he'd never left.

Some days were more frustrating than others. In such a short time, he'd managed to carve out a space for himself in her heart. The loss still felt so fresh and abrupt. But then again, everything about him had been abrupt, including the way he'd appeared in her life to begin with.

The only part of her apartment Erza would miss was the balcony – tiny as it was. She had a view of the stars. Even though Jellal had said their skies were different, focusing on the similarities, like Polaris, helped to ease her emptiness. The winter chill kept her indoors most nights, but Erza needed the bite of the wind today. Bear would only leave his bed for bathroom breaks and food, and she understood his feelings completely.

When the cold became unbearable, Erza stepped back inside her apartment and slid the door shut. She began switching off lights. Just before she climbed into bed there was a soft knock at the front door. In hindsight it would've been a good idea to grab her robe, but curiosity and irritation won out.

Her surprise had the visitor leaning precariously against the doorframe, and Erza blocking the entrance, gaping.

"Erza," Jellal breathed. "I was afraid I'd be too late." He stumbled across the threshold. Erza finally came to her senses and launched herself at him. Jellal caught her in his arms and fell backwards against the doorframe. He had no armor this time, and sucked in a harsh breath at the contact. "Careful," he rasped.

"Are you hurt?" Erza asked, pulling back and swinging the door shut behind him. "Did something happen?"

"I'll be fine," Jellal said, gathering her more gently against his chest. "I didn't have protection this trip, and my ribs are bruised, I think. I'll be okay in the morning." He smiled down at her and slid his fingers into the hair that fell over her shoulder.

"I missed you," she said dazedly. Of course his reappearance would be just as unexpected as the day she met him. Jellal sighed and finally glanced around her mess of an apartment. Erza blushed at the state of it. "I bought a house," she offered.

"I know."

"I thought maybe Bear would be a..." Erza trailed off and looked back up at him. "What do you mean you know?"

"Your dreams, Erza. Have you not noticed? I felt you twice."

"I –" Her head tilted to the side in realization. "Oh."

"It wasn't an exact science. Just a new technique Yukino tried to teach me. I could only catch a few things, but I was worried you'd be gone and in a new place by the time I returned."

Erza could only smile and wrap her arms – carefully – around him again, just to be sure she wasn't _still_ dreaming. He swayed slightly and she slid her body under his arm for balance.

"A hot shower might help you relax. I'll get an ice back for your bruises." She left Jellal in the bathroom and swallowed back her tears of relief.

His scent of soap and shampoo filled her bedroom, and for the first time in two months she didn't have to sleep alone.

* * *

Bear's tail swished and he pawed at the chain door of his run. Jellal crouched down to receive the old dog's affections, and led him outside to the grass where Erza waited just beyond the awning. Bear settled over Jellal's outstretched legs in a display of uncharacteristic ownership and proximity. His eyes fell on Erza, and he nudged her hand with his nose.

"Do you think he'll be okay in a house?" she asked as Jellal ran his fingers through her hair.

"He'll be fine, I think. He's lonely here. Was that my jacket in his bed?" Jellal said playfully, and Erza blushed.

"Uh, yeah. I thought maybe it would help his depression. I'm not sure it did, but he dragged it to the bed and it's been there ever since. I doubt you'll want it back."

"I can get a new one," he said quietly as Bear re-settled across his lap.

* * *

The house was filled with boxes. Erza stared at the kitchen items scattered over the counters. She'd been putting things away for hours since everyone had left, and only one stretch of cream colored tile looked presentable. Erza hopped up onto the counter and peeked into the backyard where Jellal sat with Bear on the deck. He'd been following Jellal around all day, sniffing every inch of the house. Erza thought his attitude aloof, but Jellal promised he was excitedly curious.

A new foam bed that had been advertised as good for older dogs sat in the corner of the living room, with a jacket that had seen much better days wadded on the corner. The side eye she'd gotten from the dog in an attempt to throw it out spoke volumes.

Erza didn't have enough furniture to fill the house, but she wasn't concerned. Those things would come in time. The sun inched below the horizon and she heard the back door slide shut.

"Hey," Jellal said softly, joining her in the kitchen. "You're awfully quiet in here." He leaned against the counter next to her and tugged gently on the end of her ponytail.

"I'm just thinking." She smiled and pulled him between her legs. "I'm happy to finally be here, and I'm glad today is over."

"It's not quite over yet," he said, inching his fingers beneath the edge of her shirt and leaning in to kiss her. "I haven't had a second alone with you all day."

"Well up until a couple of hours ago there was a small crowd of people here."

"They're gone," Jellal murmured against her neck. His hands warmed the skin of her stomach and slid upwards towards her bra. Erza laughed softly.

"In the kitchen, Jellal? What will the dog think?"

"He's older than both of us. In his own way, I'm sure he knows exactly what's happening." He pulled her shirt over her head and tossed his own next to it on the floor. "This house demands to be broken in as soon as possible."

"What better place to start than the kitchen, I guess." Erza let him tug off her shoes and pants before wrapping her legs around his waist again. He kissed her with a surprising ardor. Erza wanted all of him at once. She pushed the waistband of his pants down, and he let them fall around his feet. Jellal pulled her to the edge of the counter and pushed inside without any further preamble.

She gasped and dug her fingers into his shoulder. Jellal's mouth settled on her neck and his teeth grazed her skin. He hadn't moved since he'd entered her and Erza tightened her grip on his waist.

"What are you waiting for?" she whispered in his ear. Jellal finally settled a hand on her thigh before pulling out and thrusting back in. His rhythm was rougher than she expected, but Erza enjoyed the angle. He hit a place inside of her that couldn't have been reached any other way, and she already felt the coil tightening.

Jellal's hand slid over her thigh and between her legs. His fingers added to the steadily building pressure, and Erza's toes curled almost painfully before she reached her climax. When she felt him pulsing inside of her Erza placed soft, wet kisses over his cheeks, forehead and finally his lips.

"I love you," she breathed. "I wanted to tell you before. I _should've_ told you before."

"I know." Jellal brushed his lips over hers and pulled her flush against him again. "And I don't mind that you waited. This house is something new and only ours." He smiled and kissed her once more. "I love you, too."

An indignant whine from the doorway that led to the living room commanded their attention, and Erza suddenly felt exposed. Bear eyed them both judgmentally before trotting back to his bed.

"What was that about?" Erza asked, trying to recover her sense of modesty. She hopped off the counter and quickly pulled her panties back on.

"He thinks I'm an impatient child for mating with you in the room where we keep the food." Jellal tossed Erza her shirt. "I think he blames me entirely."

"I see." Erza pulled her shirt over her head even as she realized she would definitely need to bathe.

"He's also made it clear that he's not sharing his bed with any resulting babies."

Erza froze. "Babies?"

"I told you he knew what we were doing, Erza. Bear wasn't neutered until he was taken into your custody. I'm sure he's got a pack of stragglers somewhere."

"We can't ever have sex outside of our bedroom again. I can't deal with the dog's opinions." Jellal laughed and took her hand.

"What about the shower then?" Erza poked him in the side to silence him as the passed the living room where Bear now slept. The shower was probably safe, right?


	6. TG,tML,atSS (Part Three)

_**"Anonymous asked: Could you do a human and fairy au please"**_

 _ **"Anonymous asked: Hello! this is just in case that anon didn´t come back to do the request, if thats okay :) I LOVE THE STORY BTW 'May I request another chapter in this stoy where Jellal and Erza have a little one and bear ends up liking just as much as he likes Jellal.'"**_

 _ **Conclusion of the previous two chapters. This section has not been seen by a beta. Thank you for your patience, anon(s).**_

* * *

 **The General, the Mountain Lily, and the Scarlet Sage - Part Three/Conclusion**

* * *

Bear understood about babies. He watched from the patch of sunlight on the floor as Jellal struggled with furniture assembly – apparently human babies required barred containers like puppies. He also understood that Erza often fell asleep after only eating half her sandwich. This new phenomenon was probably the best part of her pregnancy.

What he didn't understand, though, was the _scent_. Erza smelled the way other humans did. There was a trace of things she carried with her because of her various soaps and sprays but Bear could easily pick her out of the cloud. Jellal smelled _other_. Not quite human, not at all animal, just... _other._ His scent was sharper, more direct, and Bear could always tell when Jellal was nearby. He'd grown used to the way their smells mingled in the house. However, the baby Erza carried inside her was something new.

Erza still smelled like herself but now there was another scent laced with hers and whenever she'd stretch out on the couch Bear would press his nose gently to her belly. It was almost a finely-tuned mix of both his caretakers but not quite in the same way as the scent that lingered in their bedsheets. The first time Jellal caught him at it Bear hung his head in shame. He was a dog. Smells were kind of his thing. Why couldn't he figure it out? Was Jellal sure it was even a baby in there and not a new animal? Soft laughter and an affectionate scratch behind his ears were enough reassurance that Erza carried a baby and not an oddity. Behind the nonchalance, though, Bear detected worry. Jellal was worried about something.

* * *

Bear expected such an egregious error in judgement from a human like Erza but Jellal? Very disappointing. No one kept watch over the baby's room and Bear was appalled. At first the new addition had been given a small bed next to the bigger one Erza and Jellal shared but after a while the helpless infant had been relegated to another room entirely. How did humans – and Jellal – expect their kind to flourish when no one guarded the young?

With a harassed sigh Bear decided to take the job on himself. Every night he curled up outside the nursery door and kept an eye out for intruders. None ever came but _still_. Nothing less than constant vigilance would do.

* * *

The first time the child touched his fur Bear felt a surge of curious affection. Not his, but the boy's. Bear was keenly aware that he couldn't chase him down the street or even around the yard like other dogs might have – he was far too old – but it didn't seem to matter to either one. The child would scratch the bright sticks of color on his papers, and sometimes other things like the walls. Bear was content to watch and his companion content at his side.

* * *

Jellal's worries didn't manifest until one night after the boy finished reading Bear his favorite book. The lights were turned out and Bear had just relaxed into his bed that now lived in a corner of the boy's room.

He knew the child had been practicing. He knew it was meant to be a secret but his stars shone far too bright. Jellal's gasp and Erza's surprise dimmed the display but his boy companion was too proud to extinguish them.

"I wondered," Jellal said softly from the hallway.

"Will it be okay?" Erza asked.

"I'll teach him how to use it. I promise it's safe. I'll keep him safe."

* * *

His joints hurt. Bear spent most of his day napping now. When his boy came home he'd bring his work to the floor and stroke the soft fur on Bear's head and he loved it. He could hardly remember the dark time before he had a family.

Jellal was always worried now. Not for Erza or the boy, but for something else. Bear couldn't understand why Jellal kept it from him.

"He's fine, dad," the boy said softly. "He's just tired."


	7. Horsing Around

_**"Kite5203 asked: Jerza racer au"**_

 _ **I went back and forth a lot with this one, and couldn't decide on a theme. So I went with horses because car racing is just blah to me. I wouldn't go so far as calling this a Fullmetal Alchemist crossover but it could possibly be a Fullmetal Alchemist crossover if Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye were horses owned by Erza and Jellal in an AU. Make of that what you will but I had a lot of fun with that concept.**_

* * *

 **Horsing Around**

* * *

Erza heard the voices outside the barn and tried to squash the excited anxiety building inside her chest. She methodically swept a brush over the horse's coat and focused on the motions instead of the conversation. The mustang stomped his feet in the dirt and huffed. He'd been uneasy all morning and Erza suspected rain was on its way. Roy didn't do well in chilly, wet weather and she needed to get him some exercise before the clouds rolled in. On any other day she'd have had him out and about already but there was no inconspicuous exit from the barn now and despite her collected exterior, Erza was _not_ ready to see Jellal. Not yet. She wanted to hold onto her hurt feelings a little while longer. He needed to _work_ for her affections, and she deserved the efforts.

Roy let out another frustrated noise and Erza sighed. She had to take him out and there was no more avoiding it. Still dragging her feet, Erza saddled the mustang and took several deep breaths before leading him toward the doors. She paused just before heading outside and Roy nudged her in the back impatiently.

"Alright, alright." Erza tugged on the reigns. "I hope your grateful." She tried to be aloof as she and Roy left the barn behind and stepped out onto the dirt path. It took every ounce of her self control not to immediately make eye contact with Jellal. He was only a few feet away – she could feel him watching her.

"Erza!" Natsu called loudly. "Look who's back!"

Erza stiffened and turned to face the group of young men plus Lucy. She said nothing, just eyed Jellal and turned back to Roy.

"I think she's still mad at you, man," Natsu said. " _Ouch!_ What was that for?" Erza grinned and assumed Lucy had elbowed him in the ribs. The conversation behind her died down and several sets of feet shuffled away. She knew _he_ hadn't gone, though. He wouldn't dare leave without at least _trying_ to talk to her.

"Hey, Erza," a voice said softly from behind her. Erza didn't turn around until she had her heart under control.

"Jellal," she said curtly.

"Uh, listen –"

"I don't really have time to talk right now. Roy need some exercise and it's going to rain soon." Erza adjusted the saddle once more before gracefully lifting herself onto Roy's back.

"Oh, come on, Erza!" Jellal called after her as Roy trotted towards the gate at the end of the pasture. She turned back to him with a smirk but didn't expect him to grin at her and disappear into the barn. _Great._

Jellal's honey blonde mare fell into a trot beside her and Erza straightened her back haughtily.

"Remind me to thank your dad for taking such good care of my horse," Jellal said casually. "Or is it you I should be thanking? I didn't think you'd want to after –"

"How _dare_ you imply our stables would treat _any_ animal poorly just because the owner is an ass," Erza retorted indignantly.

"I would never say _or_ imply such a thing, Erza. Hawkeye is in excellent health. I'd expect nothing less from an establishment of Rosemary's caliber, of course."

"Are you making fun of me?" Erza glanced sidelong at him.

"Absolutely not." Jellal smiled at her again and Erza scowled. Her gaze shifted back to the stretch of land in front of her. The river that cut across her family's land would be thinnest at the bridge to the north. Roy was an excellent jumper and she felt the urge for wind in her hair. "Erza –"

"Enough talking. I'll race you to the other side of the farm and back," she said tightening her grip on the reigns. "If you can beat me, I'll consider speaking to you." Out of the corner of her eye Erza saw Jellal staring up at the darkening sky.

"Are you sure that's... I mean we both know how Roy –"

"Chickening out? Have you gone full city boy forgotten how to race?" She smiled wickedly at his frown. "Guess you didn't want to talk after all!" Erza nudged Roy's flank with her boot and he broke out into a canter and then a full gallop.

She lost herself in the thrill of Roy's speed, the steady rhythm of his hooves beating the ground, and the wind on her face. Erza supposed her love of riding flowed through her veins at the same speed as her mustang. Rosemary Stables had been in the Scarlet family for generations and her father had been grooming her for take-over for as long as she could remember. Growing up in the sprawling countryside of her family's acreage had been just shy of perfection. Her mother's death being the only blight... right up until her very best friend decided to run off and study the stars.

Erza thought she'd forgiven Jellal for leaving. She'd had five years to mull over what happened between them and came to the conclusion that her feelings toward him had been nothing but a childish crush. Jellal was her _friend_ and _nothing more_. It didn't matter in the slightest that he'd kissed her once behind the barn, sent her heart into a wild frenzy, and promised he'd come home every summer – and then _hadn't_. Not even once. Erza couldn't exactly blame him and used the excuse that he was better off when deciding not to answer his handful of letters.

The closest university to their small hometown was almost an hour away and Jellal had quickly outgrown its meager science department. At sixteen he'd tested out of most of his classes and drew the attention of an exclusive study program on the opposite coast. Four months before he turned seventeen Jellal left with wide, excited eyes.

It wasn't his leaving that hurt her so much. It was the fact that Erza had never once considered following. Her place was at the stables. She loved the horses and the farm and everything that went along with it. She earned her own degree in business and equestrian studies, and was well prepared to handle Rosemary Stables on her own one day. As children Jellal and Erza had been inseparable but as they approached adulthood the divergence of interests became a several-thousand-mile gap.

When she heard his voice again, though, all of her resolve to let him go crumbled into a million tiny pieces at her feet. Erza didn't know why he'd returned or how long he'd be around, but if Jellal wanted her attention he'd have to earn it.

Roy leapt gracefully over the river and after another mile of pushing the mustang to his limits, Erza pulled him to back into a trot. The fence that ran along the back of the Scarlet property was partly concealed by trees. She glanced up at the sky and noticed the clouds had closed in much quicker than she'd anticipated and there was already a mist in the air. It would be a miracle if she could get Roy back in the barn before the real rain fell.

"Erza!" Jellal called out. She couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face at the sight of him out of breath. "Do we really have to do this?"

"Can't handle it?" She asked as Roy turned about to nudge Hawkeye with his nose. Erza frowned. She'd forgotten how much her mustang liked Jellal's mare. If she didn't get him moving he'd spiral into full on flirtatious grooming behavior.

"I can handle anything you've got, Erza. It's Roy that can't handle himself in the rain." Jellal was grinning at her again and she hated the excited shiver that raced down her spine.

"You should tell your mare to stop flirting with Roy. He needs to keep his head in the game and she isn't helping."

Jellal broke out into a laugh.

"Don't even try to blame Hawkeye! Your mustang is a terrible flirt and always has been. If he's distracted it's because _you're_ too busy flirting with _me_ to get back to racing." He winked at her obvious outrage. "The two of you are clearly meant for one another."

Erza could only manage an affronted squeak. He was right of course. Roy was disgustingly attached to Hawkeye and everyone at the stables knew it. No one had the guts to point out the obvious correlation between the respective owners, though. At least not in front of Erza.

She didn't respond to his taunting and simply urged Roy on with her heel once again. His speed was noticeably slower on the way back and as they approached the river fat droplets of rain stung her face. Erza debated whether to attempt a second jump or to take the bridge. Jellal would probably take the bridge – he'd always been more cautious. Erza, however, was brash and competitive. It was an easy decision.

The regret of it didn't come until after she found herself tumbling face forward into the rushing water. Erza stared at the muddy riverbank and her scratched palms in bewilderment. When she glanced around Roy wasn't anywhere to be seen. She took several breaths before attempting to stand. Unable to bear her own weight she fell right back on her rear in the water. Her ankle screamed in pain and Erza swore loudly. The sound of footsteps and a soft whinny turned her frustration to embarrassment.

"Need some help?" Jellal asked from the bank.

"No, I'm fine," Erza huffed up at him.

"Really? Because I just saw you fall on your ass. Are you hurt?"

"It's just a sprain." Jellal walked both Roy and Hawkeye to the bridge and tied them to the rail. "Where did you find my horse?"

"Hawkeye found him just beyond the tree line sniffing around the clover flowers."

Erza glared at Roy and muttered under her breath, _"Traitor."_

"Just let me help you, Erza." Jellal approached the edge of the water and held out a hand. "What happened?"

"Roy decided he didn't want to race in the rain, I guess. He threw me." She took Jellal's hand begrudgingly and tried not to think about how warm his skin was.

"I see." He pulled her from the water and into his chest. Erza couldn't even bring herself to resist.

"You aren't going to say _I told you so?_ " she asked looking up at him.

"Nah. You're already tough enough on yourself and don't need me telling you things you already know." Jellal smiled down at her and pulled off his jacket and scarf. Erza let him help her into the jacket and tried not to blush too noticeably when he wrapped the scarf around her neck. "Come on," he said softly. "You can ride with me. I think Roy's had enough for today."

Erza limped beside him to the bridge post and let him help her onto Hawkeye's back. He slid easily into the saddle behind her and Erza hid her reddening face in the scarf when his arms came around her to grasp the reigns. Jellal's breath was warm on her ears and Erza focused on that sensation instead of the jarring pain emanating from her ankle. Roy followed Hawkeye back to the barn without protest and even seemed to be in a contented mood at her side – despite the offending rain.

Jellal's hands around her waist as she slid over Hawkeye's side were a _lot_ to take in. Everything she'd decided was a silly crush over the last five years came rushing back and Erza knew she'd sold herself on snake oil and lies. She perched on a tack trunk and watched and he handled both Roy and Hawkeye with a quiet expertise that he probably hadn't used since he left. When the horses were tended to he joined her on the trunk. They sat in silence as the rain finally began to come down in the sheets the clouds had promised.

Erza sighed and canted her body towards Jellal.

"Why didn't you come home before now?" she asked quietly. "I missed you."

Jellal took his time answering her. She watched him watching the rain and appreciated the way his features had matured into those of a man. He wasn't the same boy who'd left her to follow the stars five years before.

"Because I knew if I came back before I'd done all I needed to do, I wouldn't have been able to leave again."

"I don't understand," Erza said wrapping her arms around his arm closest to her.

"I love you, Erza." His words stunned her. She peered up at his face that was still angled toward the open barn door. "I knew I was in love with you when I kissed you goodbye, but it wasn't until then that I realized how hard it would be to actually leave."

"Jellal –"

"If I came back – even for something like summer holidays – I couldn't have..." He sighed and poked at the dirt with his shoe. "I'm sorry if I hurt you."

Erza reached over to place a hand on his cheek and turn his face toward her. Jellal grimaced guiltily.

"What about now?" she asked. "What's changed?"

"They want me to take over for Doctor Gaebolg at the university in town," he said with a small smile and Erza's mouth dropped open. "He's retiring in a few months and I'll pick up his class load in the spring."

"But –" Erza's thoughts were a jumble of confusion. "Why go so far away to study if you were just going to end up back here?"

Jellal smiled and shrugged.

"With my own department I can do whatever I want. I don't necessarily want to work under an over-educated windbag for a decade before earning tenure when I can come back to Magnolia and be the over-educated windbag myself. Plus there's always the other thing."

"The other thing?"

" _You_ , Erza," he nudged her with his shoulder. "You're _here_. Why on earth would I choose to be _anywhere_ else?"

"I don't know what to say," Erza whispered. She actually had a lot of things she wanted to say but couldn't get any of it out.

"You could start with how you feel about any of what I've just said." Jellal turned to her fully and took her hands in his.

"I love you, too," she blurted unceremoniously. Erza's eyes swept his face before she lurched forward and kissed him. Her hands cupped his cheeks and she felt him smile. "Don't ever leave me behind again without telling me what you're doing."

"I promise," he murmured. Jellal pulled her closer into his side and kissed her forehead.

The sound of a nettled Hawkeye drew their attention. Erza turned and couldn't contain her giggles. Roy was mercilessly vying for her attention with an insistent nuzzling. Her big brown eyes slid to Jellal dolefully.

"Your horse is shameless," Jellal whispered in her ear. She shivered despite the jacket and scarf.

"He can't help it," she laughed whirling back around to steal a kiss. "He's needy."

Jellal's smile faded and his expression turned serious.

"I'm sorry for not telling you how I felt. I never meant to hurt you."

"It's okay, Jellal. I'm glad you took care of your wanderlust. Maybe we needed the space to grow up. I was always going to be here. This is where I belong." She paused and glanced around the barn. "Are you sure you'll be happy? There's nothing tying you to the big city?"

"Not a damn thing, Erza." Jellal kissed her again and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Beyond the doors of the barn rain continued to fall cold and heavy, but inside the air was thick with warmth.


	8. Heart of Ash

_**"elliemuse asked for a Jerza zombie apocalypse AU."**_

 _ **No restrictions or limitations were given to me. I'm rather proud of the result.**_

* * *

 **Heart of Ash**

* * *

Mornings were his favorite. He could pretend the world was still a good place and he and Erza were back in their apartment with a clean breeze ruffling her hair that tickled his chin. She'd wake up before him with a good morning kiss and a mischievous smile. He would sneak his hand beneath her sleep shirt – which was really just one of his old t-shirts – and secure her to him by her waist. They would make love in the rising sunlight and start the day with breathless ecstasy. Jellal missed their old life and despite the impossibility of the notion, a small part of him still hoped it could be recovered.

Erza handled the changes better than him. She was made of stronger stuff and adapted quicker. He felt bad for leaning on her so much but couldn't help it. She refused to let the darkness take them and Jellal clung to her light.

He watched her comb her fingers through her hair and thought it beautiful even if dirtier than before. His heart still skipped a beat when she smiled at him. Even in such conditions Jellal loved her more than he ever had. After she washed her hair, she'd let him braid it. Jellal was good with braids. He'd had his fingers in her hair since they were teenagers and high on young love. Erza Scarlet's hair was magical.

Usually when they walked he was just behind her and to the left. Her braid swung back and forth and brushed against the rifle she had slung over her shoulder. Jellal carried his against his chest and kept their supplies in a rucksack. Strapped to her waist was the machete she'd taken from the body of a dead man only a week after the outbreak. Erza was better with the blade than Jellal and he wasn't ashamed to admit it.

Terms for the infected varied. Some were vague references to pop culture like zombies or walkers, but most simply called them The Dead. Jellal had better skill with the rifle and tried to keep any intruders at bay but every so often they'd walk into a messy situation and Erza would have to draw the machete. She was a warrior. Even with sickly blood dripping from her arms Jellal admired her. The long scarlet braid whirled around her like a solar flare. So wild. So beautiful. He didn't know how he would survive without her.

The hanger sat in a field littered with the carcasses of military vehicles and airplane parts. He hadn't wanted to approach at all but Erza smiled at him and suddenly it felt okay. Not _good_. But _okay_. There were no bodies. This wasn't completely abnormal but the utter quietude of the structure set Jellal on edge.

Silence is a trickster. When it falls there can be enlightenment or deafening chaos. They came from above and one of the dead fell upon Erza before she could wrap her hand around the handle of her blade. Jellal took out the two prongs that moved in from the side in a surprisingly coordinated attack. Despite the shock of the situation Erza dispatched the corpse on her back. He watched with unabashed admiration as she shoved off the dead.

But when she turned around his heart stopped beating.

Erza's face was covered in dark, sticky blood and her eyes wide with horror. She dropped the machete and fell to her knees. Jellal rushed to her and crouched at her side. When she looked up at him he saw it. He saw the dead blood swirling in her eye.

"Erza..." he whispered with borrowed breath. She began to sob and clutched at his shirt frantically. They both knew the tears wouldn't cleanse her body of the infection. In less than an hour she'd be a violent, mindless corpse.

"I don't want this, Jellal," she cried. Erza pulled herself together and looked him in the eye. He didn't want to look back. He didn't want to see what lurked there.

"I –" He knew what she meant. Understood it crystal clear. "I can't, Erza, _please_ –" His face felt wet and hot. This couldn't be happening. Not today. Not ever.

Erza grabbed his rifle for emphasis. "You have to! I don't want to be one of the dead!"

"I can't..." Jellal's mind was spiraling into a senseless muddle of horror. "How am I supposed to... I don't know how to..."

"If you love me, Jellal, you'll do this," Erza said firmly. She took his hand and gently replaced hers on the butt of his rifle. "I need you to remember me this way. I need you to make sure I stay _me_."

Jellal finally met her eyes. Her pupils were already starting to cloud.

"What if I can't do this without you?" he asked in a hushed whisper. "What if I don't want to?"

"You can, Jellal," she said with a smile. "And even if you can't, I'll wait for you at home, okay?"

He choked on her words and wiped a smear of blood from her cheek.

"I always woke up before you anyway. It makes sense that I'm the first to go."

"Erza, I –" her smile twitched and she hugged her arms around herself.

"Please, hurry," she whispered.

* * *

He left the machete with the last of Erza's very red blood crusting on the blade in the hanger. Jellal never wanted to see it again. His offending rifle was thrown into the maw of the tall grass that slowly consumed everything in its wake. Hers was now strapped to his back.

The fire blazed too high and too bright. The smoke was thick and the smell nauseating. Jellal watched the last braid he'd woven into her hair curl into black tendrils of char. Nothing would ever be as bright or beautiful as Erza's hair.

She'd set his world aflame and now all he had left was a pile of ash.


	9. Oh, Come All Ye Faithful

_**"namiiswan asked: You still owe me smut revolving around the Christmas omake chapter :)"**_

 _ **Well now I suppose I do. I hope this doesn't disappoint despite the blatant Christmas sex pun I used as a title. I won't apologize for it either.**_

* * *

 **Oh, Come All Ye Faithful**

* * *

There was something incredibly soothing about Jellal padding around her flat barefoot. Shoes meant he had somewhere to be. Bare feet meant he would stay – at least for a little while. He'd found the drawer she kept with his spare clothes and had chosen the most casual items as she slept off her liquor from the night before.

When the sun rose he washed her hair and with a reverence so utterly Jellal it tore her to pieces. Now he was stretched across her living room floor on his side tracing idle patterns on the skin of her stomach exposed by the open flaps of her pajama top. Erza lay on her back as she watched him watching the fire cast dancing shadows on her hair that spread unrestrained across the carpet.

Her Christmas had been spent in the most unexpectedly wonderful way and as the day drew to a close she didn't want to let it go. Perhaps they'd eventually be allowed endless stretches of time but the ghosts of responsibilities beyond their control lurked just beyond the window glass.

Erza rolled to her side and Jellal's concentration was broken. His hand slid further under the pajama top from her hip to her back.

"Bored?" he asked touching his forehead to hers with a smile.

"No," she replied softly. "I'm never bored when I'm with you."

"There's nothing you'd rather be doing right now? No holiday plans you've scrapped to be here with me?"

"No." Erza smiled and tilted her head to the side for a kiss. It was still a bit of a novelty for her to kiss Jellal at her leisure.

"Have I set the bar so low in the past that lounging on the floor entertains you?"

"I would take lounging on the floor with you over anything else in the world right now. It has nothing to do with bars or standards." Her fingers traced the line of his jaw thoughtfully. "Is there somewhere else _you'd_ rather be?"

"I feel like I've been every other place but here for most of my life, and I'd rather be with you for the rest of it."

Erza flushed and cleared her throat awkwardly. Hearing such open and honest words from him flustered her more than the kissing sometimes – though the kissing _was_ nice. _Other_ things were _more_ than nice. Her arms wound around his neck and she pulled him on top of her. Jellal settled between her legs and, as always, she wondered how she could ever contemplate letting him go again. Thoughts like that were futile, though. Erza pushed them away.

His mouth was on her neck and his fingers skillfully released the remaining buttons holding her pajama top closed. There was absolutely nothing better than the feel of his skin on hers. The nights she'd spent with him in the company of Crime Sorciere could not compare to the way they were alone now.

One hand slid down and over his chest to hook in the waistband of his pants. Jellal grinned into her neck and shifted to kick them off. Erza's back arched as his mouth moved from her neck to her shoulder and nudged the pajama top completely free. He tossed it away and placed feather soft kisses on the underside of her breasts. His tongue was hot as the tip of it circled her nipple and a breathy moan of anticipation escaped her throat. Jellal's kisses left a wet trail down the center of her stomach and paused at the bow of her drawstring.

Quicker than her shirt, the pants were tossed aside as well and suddenly he was stretched over her again. Erza wrapped her legs around his waist and gasped when she felt him brush against the neediest part of her. Maybe it was ridiculous to boil all of their history together down to the act of sex but when Jellal pushed inside of her Erza could think of nothing else. He filled her with a sated joy simply by being next to her, but _this..._ this was a desperate kind of pleasure. Her skin seemed to have been created for his hands and she could not even dream of letting anyone else touch her the way Jellal did.

His tempo was fast enough to steadily twist a coil of decadent anticipation, but slow enough for Erza to feel every breath he took and every twitch of his belly. Jellal's forehead was damp with sweat when he touched it to hers and in a trembling show of strength, Erza pushed him to his back. The change in depth forced an exhale from her lips. Jellal's fingers dug into her hips and he quickly sat up. She rolled her hips and he responded with a searing kiss.

"Erza," he whispered with closed eyes.

The way her name fell from his lips sent a shiver up her spine and she felt the first stirrings of her climax. He pulled the skin of her neck into his mouth and she couldn't be bothered to care if he'd mark her or not. She _wanted_ him to. Jellal's arm snaked around her waist and his hand slid between them to twist the coil a final time. Her thighs quivered uncontrollably and she inhaled a quick breath.

Erza came with a whimper and a tangle of blue hair in her fingers. She felt the carpet hit her back again and the weight of Jellal's body. He pulsed inside of her steadily and tried to spare her a total collapse by rolling to his side and pulling her against him. She kissed his forehead, his cheeks, and finally his lips. He smiled and peeled the damp hair from her neck. His thumb brushed over the area she suspected he'd marked.

"One day I'll be used to this," Jellal said softly.

"Will we be ordinary, then?" she asked taking his hand in hers and kissing his fingers.

"Perhaps I will be, but never you."

"I don't think I'd mind being ordinary if it meant we could have every day together." Erza tucked her head under his chin and sighed.

The snow would continue to pile outside and the world's problems would surely be waiting, but as far as she was concerned the most important part was laying as close to her as possible.


	10. Nothing At All

_**"Anonymous asked: Hi, this is the same anon who sent the last request about writing a fanfic about your headcanon, i just forwarded it here like you asked. :)"**_

 _ **The headcanon: Headcanon that when Erza asks Jellal what his favorite set of her lingerie is he just says "nothing" and fucks her on the dresser.**_

 _ **I don't think this requires explanation.**_

* * *

 **Nothing At All**

* * *

Jellal fell into the bed and enjoyed the scent of fabric softener puff around him. He didn't think appreciation of such luxuries would ever grow old. Erza had excellent taste in sheets – something he'd learned quickly. She'd rambled on about the importance of a high thread count the day she brought the packages home, but Jellal didn't fully understand until he was cocooned in angelic softness that smelled of lavender. He never slept with a shirt anymore. Erza assumed this was because of his desire to be close with her, and in part it was, however, he truly enjoyed the texture of the expensive sheets against his skin.

 _"Jellal!"_

"Hm?"

"I've said your name at least five times," Erza huffed. "I have an important question."

"What is it?" He sat up on one elbow and found his wife with her hands on her hips glaring at him. She was clad in scandalously tiny scraps of black lace.

"Do you like this?" She gestured to her lingerie.

"It's nice."

Erza's eyebrows furrowed. Without warning her body shimmered in a rush of magic and suddenly she was wrapped in purple lace instead.

"And this one?" she asked.

"I like it too."

"What about this one?" Blue satin appeared and lifted her breasts into a stunning amount of cleavage.

"Why is my preference important?"

Erza's head tilted to the side in frustrated confusion.

"Because I want you to like it!"

"Erza –"

She shimmered again and changed into something entirely too strappy and complicated.

"This one isn't my favorite but if _you_ like it –"

Jellal sighed and Erza frowned again. He watched as she mentally scrolled through whatever collection of skimpy underwear she'd amassed in her requip space and just as she wavered in the air he shot off the bed with his own spell. Erza's eyes were wide with surprise when she found herself caught between him and the edge of the dresser.

"How did you –"

"We've been living together for long enough," he said leaning down to kiss the spot behind her ear that always stole her breath. "I wondered what would happen if I disrupted your requip."

Erza gasped when his hand settled on a shockingly naked hip.

"Now I know."

"But –"

"And if you want to know what I prefer you in most," Jellal whispered as he dragged his lips over her cheek. "It's nothing."

Erza didn't protest as he lifted her to the surface of the dresser. She made quick work of the pajama pants that hung low around his waist. His hand drifted from her hip to her thigh to keep her balanced on the edge. It didn't matter how soft the sheets on the bed were in the grand scheme of things. Erza was always softer.


	11. Chemical Kiss

**"Anonymous asked: Omg so here it is. I am crazy with Harley x joker because he drove her to insanity and she still loves him. Harley calls joker mr j? Jellal starts with j. Him torturing erza and she's still crazy about him, and preferably m rated for a nice lemon scene? Maybe? Please? That's my request, thank you so much."**

 **I don't know that this is what the anonymous requestor wanted, to be honest. The relationship between Harley Quinn and the Joker is completely toxic and terrifying. As much as I love the story and enjoy them, it's incredibly sticky. In the end I couldn't bring myself to write Jellal as that kind of abuser. I enjoy dark!fic very much but I'm a fluff writer in my heart. So I handled the situation as best I could. It's technically what was asked of me... but with a caveat. I hope they enjoy it regardless.**

* * *

 **Chemical Kiss**

* * *

 _"How do you feel?" he asked. His fingers ripped her apart and stitched her back together. Nails raked over her skin._

 _She wept for the pain of it._

 _And shivered in pleasure._

 _His fingers seized her hair at the scalp. He pulled her head back and off the table._

 _"Answer me." His breath smelled of chemicals and a voice terrifyingly beautiful chuckled in her ear._

 _"I want –" her lungs collapsed and she gasped to fill them. "I –"_

 _He released her and Erza's cheek fell back to the surface of the table. It was cold and wet._

 _"You never know what you want until I give it to you." His voice came from behind her. Cruel fingers were on her thighs again and all she could do was bite her lip until it bled._

* * *

"How do you feel?"

Erza startled and her eyes shot from the window to the expectant face across from her. Always impassive, never judging, completely objective. She'd been meeting with him several times a week for years and nothing had changed. Not him. Not her. Whether or not this was a disappointment wasn't something Erza had figured out.

"I –" She paused and waited. His face betrayed nothing. When his eyebrow twitched ever so slightly Erza sighed. It wasn't the same. It wouldn't ever be. "I'm fine."

"Fine like the weather is fine?" he asked with a grin she only imagined.

Erza turned to the window again. Rain pelted the glass as much as it could through the vertical bars. The sky was dark and foreboding. Ominous.

"The weather isn't fine," she said softly.

"It was only a poor attempt at humor, Erza. I apologize. You seem on edge today. Is something bothering you?"

"I didn't sleep well last night."

"Are you still taking the zolpidem?" he asked flipping through the papers on his clip board.

"Yes but –" Erza fidgeted. Responding to him this way felt awkward. He glanced up at her curiously. "I can't stay asleep. I wake up and can't go back down."

"I see." He scribbled on her chart. "And how often has that been happening?"

"Every night."

His eyebrows flew up and he leaned back in his chair. It was the first unexpected display of expression and Erza's heart raced.

"How long has this been going on?"

Erza shifted in her chair. The question shouldn't have felt so invasive but it did. She wanted to tell him the answer was none of his business but she was also hurt he didn't know _already_.

"Months."

His pen tapped on the metal clip three times before making a quick note and setting everything aside. He leaned forward again and clasped his hands in front of him.

"Erza, I need for you to tell me these kinds of things. I'm here to help. We've been meeting for a while now and –"

"Next Tuesday it'll be eighteen-hundred and twenty-five days that I've been in your care. Four-hundred and sixty-eight sessions."

He blinked in surprise. Erza wanted to smile. She liked taking him by surprise. She wished she could do that more often.

"Right. That's a considerable amount of rapport we have. Why have you not mentioned the insomnia until now?"

Erza fidgeted again. It seemed an easy question but it wasn't.

"Erza?"

"Because I don't want to sleep!" she blurted. Her eyes stung and her fingernails dug into her skin. How could she have said it? She shouldn't have. She didn't mean it. "I mean –"

She was out of breath. The confession was a lie. Of course she wanted it.

 _Right?_

He was surprised again and she hated it. Erza cleared her throat.

"I mean, I want it. I want to sleep. I never know what I want until it's given to me."

Her pills looked different that night. Instead of oblong they were circular.

They tasted bitter in her throat. Like chemicals.

* * *

 _He burned her from the inside. She wanted him there always but hated every second of it. She wanted his embrace, his_ cuts _, his kiss, his_ bruises _, his touch, his_ mouth _... but she never wanted to see him again. The contradiction left her toes curling and thighs trembling._

 _His body was stretched out over hers and she chanced a feel. Scars littered his skin in an almost whimsical, cheque pattern. There was one stripe just below his ribs that felt soft and new. Like if she poked it too hard the wound might split open and bleed. Did she want his blood on her? He certainly seemed to enjoy seeing her blood on him._

 _"J –"_

 _His teeth sank into the flesh where her neck sloped down into a shoulder. Erza winced in pain but shuddered close to orgasm. His hips drove into her further. She could feel him pulsing inside._

 _"Is that how you address me?" A hot tongue swept over the bite. "Do we have such a rapport?"_

 _"Mister J..." she breathed._

 _He stayed with her all night. She wanted him gone but couldn't let go. When he kissed her his lips were wet._

* * *

"How are the extended release tablets working out for you, Erza?"

She picked at a scab on her arm. The attendant said there must be a mosquito trapped in her room somewhere because her body was covered in bites. Horrible, itchy bites that drove her mad.

"Fine," she said quietly.

"Really? Because you don't look like you've been sleeping at all." The concern in his voice made her eyes sting and throat tighten.

Did she want this fretting? Did she want him to furrow his brow and peer at the circles under her eyes that lingered even though she'd been unconscious for ten hours? Or did she want him to grin and make her gasp for delicious, painful breath?

 _"Erza!"_

She blinked. His face was marred by a frown and she decided she preferred the concern to horrified astonishment.

"You're bleeding." He reached for the box of tissues and sat beside her on the couch. His hands pried her fingers from the mosquito bite she'd torn open in a fit of anxiety. She watched with fierce interest as he dabbed at the blood.

For one agonizing moment she wondered if he'd lick the blood from his thumb.

He didn't.

* * *

 _"You taste like anticipation." His breath was hot on her thigh but cooler on the slick folds of skin between her legs. The fingers inside of her tarried just below the spot only he had ever dared to touch._

 _She wanted to press down on his hand. To force him to give her what she wanted but if she moved even an inch he'd stop touching her altogether._

 _All the breath left her lungs when his mouth covered her again. He raked her across the coals of a fire that burned exquisitely. The crest came quickly when his fingers suddenly slid up and over what felt like the very apex of every nerve in her body._

 _Her trembling hadn't stopped when he shoved inside of her and kissed her with lips tinged with the flavor of her dreams._

* * *

He had other patients. Of course he did. She knew that. An institution this size... it didn't matter how loudly money spoke, she couldn't keep him to herself.

She didn't have to like it, though.

"You look well rested today, Erza." His voice cut through the quiet.

When she glanced up he smiled down at her. For the first time she smiled back.

"Has the eszopiclone been working for you? Disruptive dreams are sometimes a side effect of the zolpidem."

"It's better now." she said tugging on a strand of hair. "I sleep but I don't dream at all."

"We can talk about them tomorrow when you come see me if you want. If they were upsetting for you it might help to share."

Erza's smile fell into a grimace and the grip on her hair became painful. A reminder.

"I'll think about it," she muttered.

He left her to her thoughts and Erza watched him disappear down the hallway. For weeks she'd tried to dig deep trenches between the two but her mind worked against her. A thick soup of muddy waters flowed in the gap.

Mister J had gone and all she had left was Doctor Fernandes. Two versions of the same man. And she could have neither one.


	12. Sometimes You Follow

_**"Anonymous asked: Erza's reputation preceded her for being a demon on the dance floor, resulting in her not finding a dance partner. In comes Jellal, and the first time she's ever been made to follow instead of lead for a dance."**_

 _ **"Anonymous asked: Hey! I'd like to request Jerza listening to music, then there's a soft song that plays and Jellal just softly makes Erza dance with him..."**_

 _ **Dance!fic is hard. At least it is for me. Describing movements that are meant to be visual is difficult. Both of these requests were similar so I combined them into one story. I hope that's okay!**_

* * *

 **Sometimes You Follow**

* * *

Erza stared at the curling letters painted on the windows with a growing sense of defeat. Dancing wasn't something she enjoyed – especially in _public_ and at a _wedding_. The big day loomed on her horizon just one short week in the future, and she'd put this off long enough. Erza made Lucy a promise and she couldn't bear to see her friend frown on her wedding day, at least not because of something _she'd_ done. It was a surety _Natsu_ would make that happen all on his own.

With a loud, dramatic sigh Erza pulled the keys from the ignition, and grabbed the box from the passenger seat. She hoped she'd dressed appropriately. When making her appointments the cheerful woman on the other end of the phone had advised her to wear something comfortable and to bring shoes as similar as possible to what she'd wear at the wedding. The black ankle strap heels she'd purchased at a discount shoe store weren't exactly the same as the glittering silver ones Lucy had picked for her bridesmaids but they'd have to do. She tore off the price tag and glared at the shoes menacingly before finally stepping from the car.

The studio smelled of floor wax. A shapely dark haired woman greeted her briskly. Erza quickly traded her sandals for the heels and joined the already assembled group near the sound system. She stood awkwardly on the fringe and only registered half of what the instructor said. After successfully avoiding any sort of dance since high school Erza could do nothing but twist her fingers in anxiety.

"...and pair off so we can begin!"

Erza's eyes widened. She'd missed the entire introduction lost in her thoughts and now had to pair off with a total stranger! Slowly, unconsciously Erza backed from the crowd and watched in horror as everyone found a partner but her. She thought, ridiculously, that they must all know what a demon she was on the dance floor.

Her heart thudded in her chest when the instructor's eyes zeroed in on her. She took another step back towards the door and nearly yelped when she hit the wall. Spinning around in humiliation Erza realized it wasn't actually a wall but a man. His chest was solid enough to be a wall, but as her eyes traveled up his body she felt her face burning hotter and hotter in slowly dawning realization. The tattoo confirmed her fears. _No..._

"Hello, Erza," the man said. He smiled down at her and Erza could only stare in astonishment. She opened her mouth to say something – _anything_ – but floundered.

"Jellal!" His name stumbled from her lips and she wished she could disappear. "What are you doing here?"

He chuckled.

"My sister owns half this studio."

"Meredy? But –"

"I usually only help out on weekends but when I heard you'd signed up for a ballroom class I wanted to see you. I didn't think it would come down to _this._ "

 _"This?"_

"There's an odd number of people in this class so I'm your partner." He held out his hand.

Erza's breath seemed to have vacated her lungs. She hadn't seen Jellal in what felt like a lifetime and running into him this way sent her flying wildly off kilter. He looked the same but different. A little taller, a lot thicker, but with the same smile that made her heart race.

"I don't think this is a good idea," she said quietly to avoid attention. "I should go."

Jellal touched her arm and she hated the way her body stopped moving at his command. Her feet weren't even _trying_ to take her away from this horrible studio.

"Please don't." His voice seemed to sink right through her skin. "I didn't mean to startle you or scare you off. I promise we can keep this professional."

Erza took several deep breaths through her nose and turned back around. She clasped her hands in front of her and gazed up at him. He'd always been offensively attractive. She didn't have much time to respond as the music suddenly swelled. With every scrap of her being Erza wished she hadn't promised Lucy she would dance at her wedding, but she had and Erza didn't like to break promises.

"Alright," she said just loud enough to be audible. "But –"

"We don't have to talk about anything that happened before you walked into the studio. I've developed a filter in my old age." He winked at her and she couldn't stop the smile that crawled across her face.

"Twenty-five is not old, Jellal," she said haughtily, taking his hand. "Despite what my mother says to me every Sunday at dinner."

He laughed lightly and led her to the edge of the group of couples. Erza stiffened when his other hand slid to the small of her back. They were standing incredibly close and she could smell his laundry soap. He smelled divine and the scent clouded her head. The instructor's voice could be heard above the music but she could hardly concentrate.

"This is a basic, three-count box step," he murmured in her ear. His right foot slid to the side and then the left. Jellal's movements were graceful but Erza knew she practically lurched. "You should be mirroring me."

Erza pursed her lips and tried to mimic Jellal but everything felt backwards and wrong. He squeezed her hand and shook his head.

"You're trying to lead but you need to follow."

"I don't know what you mean," she hissed.

"I _mean_ you're trying to push against the flow and that's why you're struggling."

"I'm just doing what you're doing."

"I know." His lips brushed the shell of her ear and _damn it all_ , she shivered. "That's why it's wrong. You should _mirror_ , not _copy_. _I'm_ leading. _You_ have to follow."

"This is too hard," Erza said through clenched teeth. She tried to pull away but Jellal's hands were firm.

"It's not. When I step forward –" He shifted forward and his body pressed into hers. "You step back. When I slide to my right –" Again, he demonstrated the move with fluid action. "You go left."

"Why do _you_ get to choose?" she said petulantly.

"Because I'm leading and you're following. That's how this works, Erza. It's not a competition where one of us wins. It's just dancing."

Erza spent most of the lesson staring down at their feet trying to get the movements right. She realized her grip on his hand and shoulder were much too tight but didn't care. The awkwardness of not being in control irritated her and Jellal's amusement over her irritation nearly bubbled everything over. When the music stopped and the hour was up, Erza slipped out as quickly as possible. She could feel Jellal's eyes on her as she left but couldn't bring herself to look back.

* * *

Even though her payments for the dance classes were non-refundable, Erza seriously considered canceling or just not showing up at all. The cost of double paying for the same type of lesson at another studio across town – one where she'd have absolutely _no_ chance of running into Jellal – seemed nominal. She'd been embarrassed and frustrated by their meeting. _Embarrassed_ for having been caught doing the one thing he knew she hated, and _frustrated_ at her inability to do it with any degree of success. Despite all that, Erza knew she'd go back.

On Thursday evening Erza once again arrived just as the lesson was starting. This time Meredy sat behind the front desk in the lobby. She didn't look quite the same as when Erza had last seen her – which was mostly due to the fact that she was very much pregnant. Meredy waved at Erza and winked before answering the phone with a perky voice she felt stupid for not recognizing before.

The floor still smelled of lemon wax and Jellal waited on one of the folding chairs that lined the wall.

"I wondered if you'd show up again," he said when she took a seat two chairs down from him.

"I made a promise to a friend," she replied pushing her flip flops underneath the chair and strapping the heels to her feet. "It's important."

"I see." He sighed and out of the corner of her eye she watched him rake a hand through his hair. "Erza –"

"Jellal, I can't handle both dancing _and_ soul searching." She felt rude for interrupting him but letting him finish would likely ruin her tenuous hold on her faculties.

"I know I said I wouldn't bring any of that up but... could we?"

His expression was so earnest and sincere it prodded at old bruises she thought had long healed. It didn't matter that almost seven years had passed and he was clearly a man now. Jellal still wore his heart on his sleeve.

"Yes, but –"

"Not now?" He grinned at her in that lopsided way that could almost pass as a smirk.

"Not now," she whispered.

Erza's head started to ache halfway through the lesson. Her forehead had been wrinkled with tension ever since the music began. She'd watched several video tutorials on typical ballroom dancing in the last two days but when it came to actual implementation Erza struggled. Jellal squeezed her hand.

"You're still trying to lead," he murmured. "Stop asserting control over the dance."

"Why can't I lead? It's sexist to force me into the submissive position."

"It's not submission, Erza. It's a mirror. It's knowing the direction I'll move and responding accordingly."

"That doesn't explain why I can't lead."

Jellal shook his head slightly.

"I think we both know you're perfectly capable of leading, but that's not why you're here. You've come for lessons in dance. A good dance partner can both lead _and_ follow. It's ebb and flow. Give and take. Push and pull. We aren't talking about domination and submission."

She exhaled sharply and nearly tangled her own feet. Jellal held her firmly, though, and she regained balance easily.

"Why do you want to lead?" he asked suddenly.

"What?"

 _"Why do you want to lead?"_

"Well," she sputtered. "It's easier for me."

"Is it?"

"I like being in co–"

"I told you this isn't about control, Erza," Jellal said softly in her ear. "It's about exchange. Do you trust me?"

She pulled back suddenly and stared up at him. The answer was complicated. She did trust him – or she _had_ a long time ago. He'd wanted to ruin everything, though. With just a few words he'd readied an army to right through layers and layers of carefully constructed boundaries, walls, and borders. Erza couldn't let him do that. Better to walk away before she lost her whole heart instead of just part of it.

"I –"She pushed away the viciously swirling debris in her mind and focused on his eyes that were still the same beautiful shade of green. "Yes," she breathed. "I trust you."

"Then stop trying to push. Just follow."

Erza thought maybe she said something agreeable but wasn't sure. The only thought in her head was the count of steps and the motion of Jellal's body across from her. For the first time in her life Erza felt comfortable on a dance floor.

When the music stopped the instructor said words Erza didn't hear. She was still lost in a world where Jellal's hand was pressed into her back and he gazed down at her the same way he had so many years before. Suddenly a million little balls that she'd been carefully juggling came crashing down around her and Erza panicked. She turned away from him, grabbed her bag, and bolted from the studio only vaguely registering someone calling after her.

Rain fell from the sky in sheets and Erza was soaked by the time she fell into the driver's seat of her car. Not all the wetness on her face was cold rain. Hot tears mingled and she hated them. She'd swallowed the grief of losing him already and coped by telling herself it could've been worse. Losing a friend wasn't as bad as losing your heart, right? That rationale didn't feel like the truth, though. It hadn't then, and it didn't now.

Friendship was steady and strong. Love was wild, unwieldy, and _dangerous_. Falling for him felt a lot like racing down a hill with no breaks and at eighteen she hadn't been able to handle the uncontrollable speed. So she'd left. Erza enrolled in the first college that accepted her application and tried her best not to think about what she'd left behind.

A rapping on the window sobered her. Jellal's hair was plastered to his head in the rain. His smile was sad but he handed over her abandoned flip flops.

"You left these inside. Everyone else is gone."

"Thank you." She wiped her cheeks quickly and took the shoes. "Jellal –"

"It's fine, Erza. We don't have to talk about it." He turned from her car and returned to the studio. Lightning flashed and Erza felt it in her chest. She'd lost him _again._

Erza dug her phone from her bag and her thumb hovered over Lucy's name. Did she really want to bother her friend with _incredibly_ old drama two days before the wedding? With an irritated sigh she stuffed the phone into the cup holder. The answer was _no._ She slid the key into the ignition and switched on her headlights.

Lightning struck again and Erza watched as the lights in the studio flipped off and Jellal locked the glass door behind him. His shirt clung to his body as he jogged across the parking lot to what looked like the same kind of junker truck he'd always had an affinity for in high school. She felt guilty for eyeing him so avidly after behaving the way she did. His parking lights flickered oddly several times before going out altogether. Erza shook her head slowly in disbelief. Jellal's attachment to broken things had always been problematic.

Almost without thinking about it, Erza pulled up next to the truck. It wasn't the same one she remembered, but it might as well have been. She knocked on the door frame and pointed to her own car. Jellal cracked the window.

"What's wrong with your truck?" she asked over the rain.

"It's nothing I can't have fixed in the morning."

"How will you get home? Is Meredy coming back for you?"

"Nope, I'm going to call a cab." Erza shivered and Jellal frowned. "Get back in your car and go home, Erza. You don't have to worry about me."

"Well..." she paused and jumped at the crash of thunder. "Well, I _am_ okay? I'm worried. Let me take you home. You'll never get a cab in this storm!"

"I'm fine –"

Lightning flashed for the third time in less than ten minutes and Erza scowled.

"Get in my car, Jellal. I'm taking you home." She spun on her heel and marched back to her car. Even if he refused the ride, she'd already decided to confirm a taxi would actually show up. Erza turned the heater on and shivered in her seat until the passenger door finally opened. Jellal joined her in the car and pulled a dark, wet phone from his pants pockets.

"I lied about the cab. My phone's dead," he admitted sheepishly.

 _"Why?"_

"Because I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

Erza's heart broke all over again. He'd have slept in his stupid truck to spare her his presence. She didn't deserve to have such consideration.

"Just tell me where to go," she said barely loud enough to be heard over the engine and blast of the heater vents.

Jellal's house wasn't far from the studio and he didn't speak other than to navigate. When she pulled into his driveway the flood lights came on and Erza automatically pulled the keys from the ignition. He didn't move to exit the car and they sat in silence for a long moment.

"Thank you for the ride, Erza," he finally whispered. She wished he hadn't said her name in that tone. Her fingers tightened around the ring of keys painfully.

"Your welcome."

"I'm sorry for pushing you the way I did. I... I thought I'd learned that lesson already." His voice remained soft and unobtrusive. "I guess not."

"It was never you, Jellal. It's always been me." Erza cringed when she realized how disgustingly cliché that sounded.

"Did you find what you were looking for out there?"

"I wasn't _looking_ for anyth–"

"I used to think we were permanent," he interrupted quietly. "Like celestial bodies revolving around one another." Jellal laughed and tilted his head toward her. "I used to consider myself your moon."

Erza felt her throat closing up but she couldn't help meeting his eyes.

"I would've been happy to circle you forever. Now I think I was wrong." He still smiled but it wasn't as humorous anymore. "You're more like a comet. I'd classify you as having an eccentric elliptical orbit."

"Jellal –"

"I never know when you'll be back or in what state. All I can do is wait and watch the skies. I can't quite figure out what it'll take to make you stay, Erza." He leaned forward in his seat and released the safety belt. His hand settled on the door handle and he paused before opening it. "I don't think I'm capable of not loving you."

When the car door shut behind him, Erza flinched. He disappeared around the side of the house and every second he was gone her heart pounded more and more rapidly. Leaving her senses in the backseat, Erza abandoned her car and followed the path he'd taken. She didn't have a chance to knock before he pulled the door open. The second it closed behind her his hands were warm on her cheeks and his lips took hers in a kiss that had been waiting – perhaps not so patiently – for it's turn.

Control slipped between her fingers like so many grains of sand. She wondered if she'd ever truly had it to begin with. The speed at which she careened past the over she'd erected didn't seem to alarm her at all. Erza didn't know where she'd end up when the fuel burned out but she didn't care. Jellal's hands slid down to her waist and squeezed. Her dress was still wet with cold rain water but Jellal was warm. She clung to him tightly and returned his kisses with equal fervor.

Erza was hazily aware that they were no longer pressed against the front door. Her heels had been left somewhere between the tiled entryway and the carpet that covered his bedroom floor. When her back hit his mattress his mouth left hers for the first time in what seemed an eternity. Jellal's lips pressed hot kisses to her neck and Erza gasped. She hadn't expected to become so lost so quickly. Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own and tugged at his shirt. The bare skin of his chest was damp but she wanted to feel him against her palms. Both the shirt and her dress landed somewhere over the edge of the bed.

His hand gripped her thigh and hitched it over his hip. Somewhere in the back of her mind Erza wished she'd put on more exciting underwear before the dance lesson. A floral print cotton bra with mismatched striped panties wasn't exactly her best face forward. Jellal didn't notice. In the dim light of his bedroom he met her eyes and he asked a question. Erza's answer was to guide him back to her lips, and drop her hand to the waistband of his pants.

Jellal settled between her legs when nothing was left between them but a layer of quickly drying rain and sweat. She tightened her thighs around him and squirmed with impatience. His hand slid from her waist over her breasts and all the way down her arm until his fingers interlocked with hers. He pressed her hand into the pillows and kissed her with a contradictory gentle force.

"Stop trying to lead," he whispered against her lips. "Just follow me."

Even more than her wish for sexier underwear, Erza wanted to control the sounds that fell from her mouth as entered her and began moving. She couldn't, though, and he swallowed every stretched syllable and strangled gasp.

Without warning he rolled to his back and Erza found herself straddling him. Jellal's hands fit perfectly over her hips and she didn't protest when he set a new pace. After a moment he sat up and left a complicated pattern of kisses on her neck, clavicle, and breasts. He never lost the rhythm and every movement felt smooth as silk. Her eyes fluttered shut when his fingers brushed the place that turned her into a quivering mass.

Erza's fingernails dug into his shoulders and she tried to hold back. The end had come too quickly. She wasn't ready to let go

"Don't." His breath tickled her ear. "Don't hold back."

"But –"

Jellal applied more pressure and Erza's teeth sank into her bottom lip. She couldn't even consider stopping herself now. Her climax surged through her body and she thought maybe she cried out but wasn't sure. She felt him pulsing inside of her and her breath rushed from her chest as he fell backwards onto the pillows taking her with him.

His chest rose and fell rapidly at first but eventually slowed to a steadier up and down. Erza realized she'd adapted to the same cadence. She rose up on one elbow and gazed down at him. The corner of his mouth was tilted upwards in the grin she loved so much. Before she could talk herself out of it she kissed him possessively. His fingers tangled in the hair at the base of her head and when she dropped back to his chest she sighed.

He didn't ask her to stay and she didn't move to leave.

* * *

Erza woke to the sound of rushing shower water. Her eyes blinked open and she sat up quickly, clutching the sheet to her chest. Jellal's bed was still a rumpled mess with her at the very center of it. Yellow light fanned out across the carpet from the cracked bathroom door. Each one of her heartbeats came faster than the last as her decisions from the night before rushed back. Jellal had kissed her and she'd lost total control of everything after that.

She needed time to think. She needed _space_.

As Erza gathered her clothes and threw them on, a voice in the back of her head scolded mercilessly. _You've had seven years of space. How can you be so selfish?_ The chastisement was shoved aside as Erza grabbed her heels and keys from the hallway. The shower cut off just as she shut the front door behind her.

To both her surprise and disappointment, Jellal didn't chase after her.

* * *

Erza swirled the champagne in her glass as she watched Lucy and Natsu slow dancing. Balloons still bounced across the floor and perfectly curled – though slightly trampled – streams of pink organza ribbon floated along with them. Everything had been just as perfect as Lucy deserved. Her dress glittered in the overhead lights and, for once, Natsu seemed peaceful. The reception was dying down and Erza's heart felt heavy.

Even without the final dance lesson she'd paid for Erza had managed to not steam roll all over her dance partner. Returning to Meredy's studio after walking out on Jellal had proved to be a hard limit. She'd performed all her Maid of Honor duties with a smile, and even with the happiness she had for her friend, Erza's chest still throbbed hollowly. Mending her heart seemed impossible now. Jellal probably hated her and why shouldn't he?

She left the unfinished drink at her table and wandered out to the terrace that was now empty. Watching the sun sink slowly below the horizon brought tears to her eyes. Erza decided she didn't care if her makeup smudged and let them fall.

A napkin brushed her arm and Erza jumped in surprise.

"Thank –" she cut off with a gasp when Jellal slid his now free hands into his pants pockets. He wore the suit in a criminal sort of way. She thought it looked better than it had any right to. His eyes were glued to the horizon but hers didn't leave his face. "I didn't know you'd be here," Erza said softly, finally dabbing the tears from her eyes.

"Better late than never. Lucy's been too good of a friend for me to not show up."

Erza could only nod.

"I owe you so many apologies, Jellal, it's hard for me to know where to start."

"You don't owe me anything, Erza."

"That's not true." She crumpled the napkin in her hand and sighed. "Do you know how important to me you were back then? I never meant to project what my dad did onto you. He left my me and my mom alone and I ended up following right in his footsteps. I'm sorry."

"I should never have dumped all my feelings on you the way I did."

"It wasn't your feelings that frightened me, it was mine. I thought it was safer to lose you on my own terms than to admit how much I loved you and lose you the way my mom lost my dad." She laughed harshly. Her palms were sweating and the napkin felt damp. "Teenage logic."

"Why did you leave the other morning?"

"Because I'm in love with you and it terrifies me. Old habits are hard to break, I guess."

Jellal turned to her and pried the napkin from her hand and tossed it aside. He pulled her against his chest and slid an arm around her waist. Soft music spilled from inside the reception hall and his breath on her neck tickled the wisps of hair that had fallen from the elaborate twist.

"Dance with me, Erza," he whispered.

She breathed a sigh of what felt a lot like relief as he moved in a natural sway.

"How about this," Jellal said in a low tone that made her skin prickle. "Whenever you feel anxious or like things are slipping away from you, instead of running away, come to me. I'll help you hold on."

Her eyes stung again and the world spun recklessly around her. Erza's fingers dug into his shoulder and she pressed her face into the lapel of his black suit jacket.

"Jellal?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't let me go, okay?"

He tightened his arm around her waist and pressed his lips to the shoulder her dress left bare.

"I won't."

Erza closed her eyes and let him lead.


	13. H,S,C,aUP (Part One)

_**"Krohritz asked: Can you write a fanfic where Jellal and Erza are teenagers and they aren't careful while making love and Erza gets pregnant?"**_

 _ **I've found myself in another situation where I enjoyed a prompt so much the length of the story got away from me. I'd love to say this'll be two parts but after what happened last time I'll just list this as part one. I don't think the concept of Jerza as young parents is completely out of the realm of in-character. Had Jellal's childhood not been stolen, and instead he was given the opportunity to grow up alongside Erza, I absolutely believe they'd be young parents. The trend of long stories and long titles is unintentional!**_

 _ **A note on names: I highkey ship Annalogia (Anna Heartfilia x Acnologia) and until I'm proven completely wrong I believe they are Jellal's parents somehow. Fight me, I don't care. This is my ship. I realize the names I chose for Erza's mother and her boyfriend are weird but just go with it.**_

 _ **As usual my long suffering, brilliant beta reader was MeraNaamJoker or PartlyGood (depending on where you know her from. She's an elusive butterfly!)**_

* * *

 **Hearts, Spades, Clubs, and Upright Pentacles - Part One**

* * *

Erza fluffed her hair and fit the unflattering graduation cap on her head. Her friends had already vacated the bathrooms and she was grateful for the moment alone. Avoiding her own eyes in the mirror, she ran her hands over the front of the polyester gown. The shape of it billowed around her body, making her appear much larger than she actually was. Erza finally glanced up at the mirror. Her face felt hot and her palms clammy with sweat.

She'd have to tell him. _Today._

* * *

"Erza!" Cana's voice was slurred. "You haven't had a drink all night!" She wrapped an arm around Erza's shoulders and pressed a can of something into her hand. "C'mon! We're free now! The real party's about to start!"

Erza gently pushed her friend off her shoulder. The smell of liquor on her breath made Erza want to vomit. Most everything made her want to vomit lately.

"I'm fine, Cana," she said with an attempt at a smile. "Have you seen Jellal? I need to talk to him."

"It's a little early to cash in on that D!" Cana laughed loudly and stumbled backward.

"Thanks for your help," Erza mumbled, and tossed the can into an open cooler by the front door. Asking Cana for help with anything besides the location of the nearest tap had been an error in judgement.

The house was teeming with her graduating class in varying degrees of intoxication. Erza hadn't wanted to show up at all, but Jellal deserved to unwind after the past week. Arriving late and giving him a ride home had been a compromise. There'd never been a question that Jellal would graduate with high honors, but squeaking past the final cut into the university's astrophysics program had been a rigorous process. Of course he'd been accepted, though, and Erza wanted to be happy for him. She _was_ happy _._ Her own future was just a little hazy at the moment.

She spotted Jellal at a table in the most subdued corner of the house. He sat across from Ultear with a handful of cards and a grin. He leaned back in his chair casually, never taking his eyes off Ultear, and finished off his cup. Erza sighed. She should've known.

"My money's on Jellal," Natsu said smugly.

"No way." Gray shoved him aside a little _too_ aggressively. "Nobody's got a better poker face than Ultear."

"You can't call it a poker face if she's just smirking at everybody all the time." Natsu shoved him back and into a bookshelf.

"Your boyfriend is making a scene, Ultear," Jellal said smoothly. "Ready to walk away?"

"He wouldn't dare ruin this game for me." Ultear's eyes flitted to Gray, who instantly stepped away from Natsu and cleared his throat awkwardly. "I think you're looking for an out, Jellal."

Jellal's grin widened as he fanned his cards out on the table. Three queens and two aces. A decent hand but as Erza watched Ultear do the same she knew he'd lost.

"Nice try, but only a royal flush can beat this." Ultear tapped her finger on the five, six, seven, eight, and nine of diamonds. Gray erupted into laugher.

"Time to pay up, flame brain!" he shouted sloppily.

"That wasn't an official bet, ice princess!" Natsu's fist collided with Gray's bicep. If not for a sharp glare from Ultear, Gray would've responded in kind.

Erza smiled at Natsu, who gathered the cards before wandering off to find Lucy.

"Hey, you," she said leaning into Jellal's shoulder and running her fingers through his hair. "Tough loss, huh?"

His arm slid around her waist. When he smiled up at her, she could tell he hadn't had much more to drink beyond the empty cup on the table. That was good. She needed his presence of mind.

"One day I'll beat her, Erza."

"Just not today?"

"Not today." He stood and pulled her against his chest. Erza sighed and enjoyed the sensation of his relaxed aura. She hated to ruin it. "You smell nice. Everything in here smells like smoke."

"Let's go outside, then. I can't stand it either." Erza took his hand and led him through the press of people. The front yard was partially littered with red plastic cups and even though they were free of the house, Erza could still smell the sourness of alcohol. It made her stomach turn.

"Hey, are you okay? You look a little pale." Jellal touched her cheek. His breath smelled only faintly of beer but it was enough.

"I'm fine," she whispered stepping back. "I've just got a headache."

Jellal frowned.

"You're definitely pale. Let's get out of here, okay?"

Erza nodded and swayed on her feet. The nausea was overwhelming and walking felt like spinning. Jellal turned his back to her and pointed at his shoulders.

"Come on, I'll give you a lift to the car."

She hesitated only a moment before letting him hoist her on his back and hook his arms around her legs. Erza let her head fall to his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"It's supposed to be _me_ giving _you_ the lift tonight. I'm parked at the end of the block." Somehow the gentle rhythm of Jellal's gait was much more soothing than her own. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I only had the one drink and you're clearly not okay."

Erza slid off his back when they arrived at the car and fished her keys from her pocket. The drive to his house was mostly silent. All of her thoughts were tangled in a tight ball of anxiety and fear. She didn't know how he'd react to the news… she _still_ didn't know how _she_ felt about it.

Jellal's house sat on a corner lot. He'd lived in the same place for as long as she could remember, and after his father died when they were thirteen, his mother announced she never wanted to leave. Stability after such a loss was important to her. Meredy had only been two at the time. Erza admired the woman's strength to pick up and carry on. Her own mother was more like a withered leaf in the wind, and still lived most of her life rehashing regrets from the past.

"Erza, are you okay?" Jellal asked, breaking the silence. She glanced over at him and stepped from the car. Her keys jangled in her fingers as she made her way up the front walk to the set of concrete steps that led to the porch. Jellal sat beside her on the top step and pulled the hair from her neck. His fingers worked the tense muscles of her shoulder, and she couldn't help leaning into him.

"Please tell me what's wrong."

"Jellal –" her voice shook. Her fingers shook. Her entire body felt hot and sweaty. "Jellal, I'm pregnant."

His response was not one she'd planned for or imagined in any of her scenarios. He said nothing but continued to massage her shoulder. She startled when he pressed his lips to the side of her neck.

"I knew something was bothering you," he said quietly.

Erza couldn't hold back her tears any longer. She hunched forward into her knees and sobbed. Jellal's hand circled her back and kept her hair from sticking to her neck.

"I'm so sorry," she choked out. "I never meant for this to happen." Erza sat up again and finally looked at him. "Are you angry with me?"

"Angry?" He seemed genuinely surprised she'd suggest such a thing.

"This isn't what we planned, Jellal," she whispered. "We're supposed to go to college, and have careers, and a house, and do everything _right_." Erza's eyes slid to the darkened street. She sounded too much like her mother. "My mom will be furious. She'll want me to have an abortion."

"Is that what _you_ want?" he asked.

"No," she murmured. "At least I don't think so." Erza sighed and turned her body toward him. "My mom had me when she was very young. I think it was hard for her and I've never even met my dad." She took his hands in hers and tried to sound confident. "What do _you_ want?"

"Erza, I'm here to support you either way. It's you that'll be the pregnant one, not me. From what I understand it's not an easy thing."

"What do you think your mom will say?"

Jellal sighed and ran a hand through his own hair.

"You mean after the speech about contraception and condoms?" Erza's face fell and Jellal laughed before pulling her back under his arm. "She's pretty adaptable. She'll definitely lecture me but it won't be the same as your mom."

Erza hugged herself to his middle and let her thoughts fly wildly. She didn't want an abortion but being a teen mom wasn't exactly on her to-do list, either. Could they really be parents? Erza yawned unexpectedly and Jellal chuckled again.

"Come on." He stood and pulled her up. "You can stay here tonight."

"Are you sure?"

"Yep, it's fine." Jellal pulled the spare set of keys from a flower pot but paused before unlocking the door. "Listen, Erza, if you decide a baby isn't what you want right now... my mom's a nurse. She'll know what to do, alright?"

She could only nod. Knowing he'd stand by her no matter what helped, but the decision still felt wobbly in her head – not because she hadn't made it. Erza was fairly certain she'd keep the baby, but presenting the situation to her mother would be very much like facing a firing squad.

Jellal's house was dark, and he didn't flip on any lights as they made their way up the stairs and to his bedroom. She borrowed a t-shirt for sleeping and left her clothes on the floor before crawling into bed. He lay next to her and brushed the wisps of red from her forehead.

"Are we gonna to be okay?" he asked just loud enough to be heard. "I love you, Erza, and whatever happens I just want to be with you. There's no one else."

She smiled and kissed him softly. Even though she hadn't expected to play the reassuring role, Erza couldn't stand to see him worried.

"We're gonna be okay," she whispered.

* * *

Jellal lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. He felt like Erza's announcement the night before should've shocked him more or at least stirred up some anxiety. Truth be told, though, he felt an embarrassing amount of excitement. Erza was having a baby! _Their_ baby.

He knew he should be more concerned. College and parenthood weren't synonymous concepts or even very compatible. Jellal didn't like to dwell on impossibilities, though. If Erza wanted to carry on with her pregnancy he'd already decided he was happy about it. They'd make it work.

His mother would be up soon and he wanted her to be well informed before Erza had to face her. There would be a canyon sized gap between the reaction of his mother and the reception she'd receive at home. As stealthily as possible, Jellal slid from the bed and pulled on a clean shirt. He left Erza still sleeping, and closed the bedroom door behind him.

The kitchen smelled strongly of coffee and bacon. Anna Fernandes was glancing over emails when he found her at the table. She glanced up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm shocked you're awake. I thought for sure I'd have to leave Meredy with a sitter." She watched him shrewdly as he poured a cup of coffee and swiped a strip of bacon from the plate.

"Last night didn't go as planned. You don't have to call the sitter. I'll be home." Jellal sat in the chair opposite his mom and readied himself to drop a bomb.

"I see. Anything you want to talk about or does it matter?" She set aside her phone and focused on him. "Do I need to finish my coffee first?"

"Erza's pregnant." There. He'd said it. Since he had nothing else to say he gulped the coffee slowly.

"Wow. You didn't even sweeten that coffee. I can't imagine it tastes good."

"That's your response?" Jellal set aside the mug.

Anna sighed, picked up her phone, and slid it away into the pocket of her scrubs that were printed with purple paisley flowers.

"I suppose it's too late to reprise my lecture on contraception, so there's no point in that. What's your plan? Do you have one yet?"

"I don't know. I think she wants to keep it." Jellal picked at the woven placemat. "Her mom is going to be furious, she says."

"No doubt. That woman has a set of claws that could scare off a wolverine. She will not be pleased. How far along is Erza?"

"Uh –" Shit. He hadn't even thought to ask.

"I see," Anna interrupted. "Well, she wasn't showing yesterday in that dress she wore to the graduation so it can't be too far in." The sound of her nails tapping on the tabletop echoed in his head. "Listen, Jellal, this isn't the end of the world. Whatever Erza decides have her come to me. I can help her find a good doctor for either choice."

"I don't think she wants an abortion, mom."

"Are you prepared for the probable outcome of that?"

"You mean the baby?"

"No, Jellal, not just the baby," she said slowly shaking her head. "Stress isn't good for a pregnancy and Ikaruga has always been hard on her daughter. She'll pressure her to terminate, and when Erza doesn't comply she'll either make life very difficult or kick her out."

"I –"

"Are you prepared for the eventuality of Erza moving in? Because that's how I see this going."

"You're okay with that?"

"I want my babies close, Jellal. You may be a high school graduate and budding scholar now, legally an adult, and _apparently_ old enough to accidentally impregnate your girlfriend... but I want you and Erza close. If things go bad with her mom, she should move in here."

"But –"

"And don't even try and pretend like you weren't planning on moving in together already. I had to borrow your laptop last week and you left a very damning apartment search open. With a baby there's no way you can afford your own place now. It's not like we don't have the room."

Jellal sighed and buried his face in his arms. He hadn't thought of any of the things his mom had pointed out. He wasn't qualified to raise a baby!

"How are you so calm about this?" he mumbled.

"I was barely out of college when I brought you into this world, Jellal. You weren't planned. Your sister wasn't either. When your dad died, I was knocked completely off my wall. I'm an expert in the unexpected by now."

He sat up and watched her gather her belongings for a shift at the hospital. Anna leaned down and kissed the top of his head.

"Let me know what the two of you decide. For the record, I think it's best to break the news to Erza's mother as soon as possible. I'll be home late."

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this alone?" Jellal asked. He reached across the picnic table and pried her phone from her hands to cover them with his.

"I really should. I think you being there will only upset her more." Erza grimaced. Her eyes searched the playground behind him for the bouncing ponytail of Meredy. "You need to stay with your sister anyway."

"It won't hurt to wait until a time when my mom is home to watch her. She won't mind."

"Did she really mean all that stuff about me moving in?"

"She did." Jellal watched Erza's face twist with anxiety. "You don't have to do this today if you don't want to."

"I need to. It'll eat away at me and come out in a bad way if I don't tell her on my own terms." Erza slid from the bench opposite Jellal and clutched her phone to her chest. "You'll wait here for me, right?"

"Of course. We'll be right here when you get back. Text me if things get ugly." Jellal wrapped her in a tight hug before she turned to walk the half block down the street to her own house.

Erza's heart beat thunderously in her chest. There was no way this would go well, and she couldn't bear for Jellal to be present while her mom threw the book at her. He didn't need to hear any of that. It would be too embarrassing.

She found her mother carefully folding lingerie and placing the pieces in a suitcase that looked new. Erza quietly cleared her throat from the doorway.

"Oh, Erza, I'm glad you're home. Did you have a nice time last night?" The question was asked but there was no real interest behind it.

"Uh, yeah. Mom –"

"Good. Listen, sweetie, I'm going to be gone for a while. There's an envelope of money for you in the kitchen. If you run out, just text me and I'll transfer more to your checking account."

Erza broke out into a cold sweat. Her mind reeled as her mother continued to pack her suitcase.

 _"You're leaving?"_

"Just for a little while. Ajeel is taking me on a tour of the Alvarez coast for the summer. He's paying for the whole thing!" Her mother rambled on and on as Erza's frustration built in her chest.

"But... you can't go!" she blurted.

"Erza," Ikaruga sighed in the way that Erza hated. It was a dismissal that would likely be followed by a rebuke. "You're an adult now. You need to handle your own affairs. Have you completed all the scholarship forms?" The swift change of subject threw Erza off kilter.

"Mom, I'm not taking that scholarship. I told you that last month. I'm staying in Magnolia."

"Erza, if this is because of _that boy_ –"

"No, this has nothing to do with Jellal. The culinary and pastry program at the university here is better than the one in Crocus _by far_ and I –"

"You're being sentimental. Magnolia has nothing for you."

" _Mom!_ I grew up here! Magnolia is my home!"

"So this _is_ about that boy."

"His name is _Jellal_. I can't believe you're still harping on this! He's been my best friend since we were little and my boyfriend since –" Erza cut herself off and shook her head. This was not the discussion she wanted to have. Her choice in college was already made.

"I just want what's best for you. Don't struggle like I did. Your father left me with nothing, and it's been a long game of catch up since then. I only want you to be successful." Her mother turned to eye her closely with one hand on hip. "Boys are temporary. Love is fickle. Education and financial security are what's important."

Erza snapped. She gripped the door frame and set her jaw.

"I'm pregnant."

"Erza, that isn't funny."

"It's not a joke, mom. I'm pregnant." She watched her mother's eyes narrow.

"Is this the handiwork of that Fernandes boy? _Jellal?_ You've been on birth control since you entered puberty." The suitcase seemed forgotten as Ikaruga's eyes focused solely on her. _"Explain."_

"I... I don't know? Pills aren't one-hundred percent, and I'm only human and –" It was a struggle not to wring her hands.

"I don't know how much an abortion costs these days, young lady, but when I return from Alvarez I expect this situation to be handled. Let me know how much the bill is and I'll make sure there's money for it. I won't be around to fix your mistakes forever, Erza." Her mother sharply turned back to her suitcase and began folding lace panties like nothing had happened.

"I'm not having an abortion."

"Yes," Ikaruga said firmly. "You _are_. I'll concede to your ridiculous choice in university but you're not having a baby. The very idea is absurd."

"Jellal agrees with me. He _supports_ me. So does his mom. We're keeping the baby," Erza insisted. Her mother said nothing as she added the last stack of clothing to the suitcase and zipped it closed. She set it on the thickly piled carpet and pulled the handle from its hiding place.

"Don't repeat my mistakes, Erza. You'll regret it for the rest of your life," she said calmly, but with a vicious cunning. "I won't let you destroy everything I've tried so hard to build for us."

"Are you calling me a mistake?" Erza asked in a whisper.

"Don't put words in my mouth."

"Apparently I don't have to." She vibrated with rage and tried not to inhale the scent of her mother's perfume as she breezed past into the hallway.

"You have two choices," Ikaruga called back to her before disappearing into the garage. "You can take care of the problem while I'm gone and thank me later for saving you from a world of hurt, or you can make the biggest mistake of your life, and count the minutes you have left with Jellal before he gets bored with the pressures of family life, leaving you and the child behind."

The sound of her mother's car starting and the garage door closing behind her as she left felt very much like a slap in the face. Erza swallowed her tears and stood in the bedroom doorway for several more minutes before making a choice – it seemed like every time she turned around lately she was making choices that felt incredibly permanent.

She packed one bag and decided it would be enough until she had the wherewithal to return and make a more long-term sweep for belongings. Hopefully Jellal's mother had been truly serious about offering her a place to live. Otherwise she was screwed. On her way back through the house Erza stopped in the kitchen. The white envelope sat open on the island and a quick leaf through the cash inside revealed a sum of at least two thousand dollars. She stuffed the envelope in her bag and locked the front door behind her.

* * *

Erza sat in the darkened sitting room of Jellal's house with a mug of herbal tea. He'd gone upstairs an hour ago to make sure Meredy washed her filthy hair and went to bed on time.

After returning to the park following the confrontation with her mother, he took one look at her bag and shouldered it himself without a word. Meredy seemed to be clueless to Erza's silent tension all through lunch, and the walk to the pond at the end of the nature trail. She threw rocks in the water and later fell in herself chasing after ducks. Erza planned on telling Jellal everything her mother said, but they hadn't had a moment alone since that morning.

It wasn't Jellal she was waiting for in the sitting room, though; it was his mother. Erza wanted to talk to the woman alone, and hoped Meredy would distract him long enough. Her tea was cold by the time a car pulled into the driveway. Erza organized her thoughts and tried her best to smile when Anna walked through the front door and noticed her on the couch.

For all her efforts, the tears she'd been holding back since her mother walked out on her that morning spilled over as soon as Anna joined her by the window. Erza felt the cushion next to her depress with Anna's weight as she pulled her into a hug.

"I'm sorry," Erza finally whispered. "I had a speech planned out but –" she laughed harshly. "I ruined it by crying."

"Don't apologize for your tears, sweetheart. Your first trimester is a nightmare of nausea and hormones."

"I can't eat anything without feeling sick and I'm just so tired all the time." Erza broke down into tears again. Anna peeled damp strands of hair from her cheeks in a way that reminded her very much of Jellal.

"Does your mom know what's going on and where you are?"

Erza sniffled loudly and tried, again, to compose herself.

"Uh, yes and no. She's going on vacation. I caught her as she was leaving."

"And how did that go?" Anna asked softly.

"She told me I had to terminate the pregnancy by the time she gets back." Erza met Anna's eyes. "I don't even know when that'll be. She just left me in the hallway with an envelope full of cash and said to _take care of the problem_."

Jellal's mother pursed her lips.

"And if you don't?"

"I don't know." Erza chewed on her bottom lip. "She said she won't let me ruin my life and make the same mistakes she did. After she left, I just threw some clothes in my backpack and went back to the park."

"I'm sure Jellal told you what I said this morning. You're welcome here starting now. I know it seems impossible, but I think your mom will come around eventually. For now, though, let's focus on what you can control, okay?"

Erza nodded and swiped at her wet cheeks.

"You want to keep this baby?"

"I do."

"Then the first thing we need to do is get you an appointment with an OB. I can help you out with that. We can piggy back it on your mom's insurance until she comes home. Do you know how far along you are?"

"Uh, I'm not sure but..." she trailed off in embarrassment. Discussing the sexual history she and Jellal shared with his mother felt extremely awkward. "Uh –"

Anna laughed.

"Erza, the ship's already left the harbor. It's a little late for shyness."

"Right, um, I think it was probably last month? I've only missed one period. My pills usually keep me regular."

"You've stopped taking those, right?"

"Yeah, it was a new prescription with a different hormone balance."

"Well." Anna sighed and scooted back on the cushions. "That'll do it. They'll ask you things like that when you see the obstetrician." She folded her hands in her lap and smiled. "It's going to be okay, Erza. We'll take things one step at a time."

"Thank you," Erza whispered on the verge of tears again. "It's been a really long couple of weeks. Despite everything I feel... I feel better now."

"Good." Anna stood and smiled down at her. "I'm starving and I think my son is lurking in the hallway. Try and get some sleep. The process of growing another person inside of you is exhausting."

Even though she wasn't in her own bed or the house she was most familiar with, Erza slept better than she had in weeks.

* * *

Jellal's sigh was heavy with boredom. He let his head loll backwards and stared up at the pergola planks covered in vines that didn't ever seem to wither or change. Erza sat rapt beside him, hanging on Lucy's every word. Meredy was inside the Heartfilia house distracted by cookie making. He had no doubt his Aunt Layla would be filling her head with what he considered _mostly_ nonsense. The women in his family were eccentric to some, highly respected to others – opinions depended greatly on who was asked.

"It'll be a girl," Lucy said firmly. "An upright Queen of Pentacles is very feminine energy."

Jellal couldn't stop the laughter from bubbling out of his throat. Lucy cleared her throat loudly but went on.

"I'd advise you to consider all angles of the decisions you're facing right now. It's not a bad card at all, but good judgement is key."

"How _profound,_ " Jellal murmured sarcastically. He sat up straight to find both Erza and Lucy glaring at him. " _What?_ She said Meredy was going to be a boy and would be born late. She's a girl and came right on time."

"I was only _eleven,_ Jellal, and still learning," Lucy said dryly. "By the way, is it true you lost to Ultear with three queens and two aces the same night Erza told you she was pregnant?"

"I don't know," he mumbled not wanting to give his cousin the satisfaction. "Maybe. I was drunk."

"You weren't _that_ drunk," Erza interrupted. "He had the queens of hearts, spades, and clubs."

"The Queen of Clubs can mean intuition but it can also mean sacrifice for children. I think that fits here. The Queen of Hearts is definitely a feminine card. His hand was an omen." Lucy's eyes scanned her spread again and tapped her nails on the tabletop. "Erza, if you conceived in April that could put the baby's birth in January, which is a water sign. The Queen of Hearts can sometimes point to that, as well."

"What about the aces?" Erza asked.

"I'm more concerned with the queens, to be honest. The Queen of Spades could mean your mom or it could coincide with the Queen of Pentacles card over here. You two have a lot of choices to make right now and they're all very important."

"What does the Queen of Spades have to do with my mom?"

"Well, I've read that ' _The Queen of Spades doesn't know the meaning of subservience'_ and I don't think it's much of a stretch to say your mother isn't at all docile or submissive."

Erza snorted. "That's true."

"I've had enough of this," Jellal said. He stood, stretched, and crushed his empty soda can. "I'm going inside to wait for the cookies." A quick kiss was planted on Erza's head before he turned to leave them both on the patio.

"You know this isn't drivel, Jellal," Lucy said softly. "You _know_ it's not."

Jellal stopped in his tracks. Lucy's words weren't meant to hurt him but they stung all the same. The memories were still fresh. Two weeks before his dad died the family had gathered in this same backyard for dinner. Anna convinced her husband to sit for a reading by her sister Layla. Jellal didn't remember the cards drawn or the spread used but his aunt's face turned white as a sheet. She'd gathered the deck quickly and got very drunk that night. His mother was on edge for days and even though she joked about the uncertainties of life _now_ , Jellal couldn't help but think maybe she'd known what would happen.

There are sometimes a million moving parts to accidents that take the lives of loved ones, but Jellal couldn't shake the feeling of dread that accompanied thoughts of Layla's cards that night. The next time he saw her she had a new deck entirely.

He didn't want to think on _any_ of that today, though.

"Yeah, I know," he muttered before entering the house.

Jellal found Meredy licking cookie dough from her fingers in the kitchen. Layla turned to him with a smile nearly identical to Lucy's – and his mother's.

"Hey, sweetie. How are you holding up?"

"Uh, fine, I guess. Lucy's in her zone out there." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder toward the backyard.

Layla laughed and set the timer on the oven. "She was excited to read for Erza today. You've had enough, I take it?"

"There's only so much postulation I can handle in one afternoon." He plopped into a kitchen table chair.

"Oh, Jellal, you've always been a skeptic." Layla winked at him and took the empty soda can. "I remember sitting with your parents when Anna was pregnant with you. Your dad was so excited when I predicted you'd be a boy."

Jellal's eyebrows flew up and Layla chuckled.

"Anna wanted to name you after him but he refused. He said no child should be forced into such a long unpronounceable name like his. _Jellal_ was a compromise."

"I had no idea..."

Layla smiled at him and handed over a glass of lemonade.

"Anna will tell you some of those stories one day," she said softly. "The cookies will be done soon. I hear Erza has a sweet tooth."


	14. H,S,C,aUP (Part Two)

_**"Krohritz asked: Can you write a fanfic where Jellal and Erza are teenagers and they aren't careful while making love and Erza gets pregnant?"**_

 _ **A note on names: I highkey ship Annalogia (Anna Heartfilia x Acnologia) and until I'm proven completely wrong I believe they are Jellal's parents somehow. Fight me, I don't care. This is my ship. We still don't know exactly who Eileen is to Erza in canon but since it's too late to make her the mother I've borrowed it for other purposes.**_

 _ **As usual my long suffering, brilliant beta reader was MeraNaamJoker or PartlyGood (depending on where you know her from. She's an elusive butterfly!)**_

* * *

 **Hearts, Spades, Clubs, and Upright Pentacles - Part Two/Conclusion**

* * *

Erza didn't know when she became such a heavy sleeper, but Jellal woke her just about every morning, and she always needed a moment to catch up. His fingers toyed with her sleep-tangled hair, and he kissed her forehead to hide a laugh.

"Did you lose yourself in dream land again?" he asked.

Erza groaned and tried to hide her face in the pillows. "No, not lost. Real life just seems much more surreal these days, I guess." She yawned and finally opened her eyes. "Do you work today? I can't remember."

"I do. My mom should be home, though." Jellal's hand settled on her growing middle. The bump started small, but on her body any expansions were immediately obvious. Her doctor said it was too soon, but Jellal was convinced he could sense the baby moving. "How do you feel?"

"Tired. Hungry. The usual." She smiled and took his hand. "I told Lucy we'd go shopping today for baby stuff."

"Don't forget about lunch until it's too late and you're sick."

"I won't." She would've been annoyed with his reminder, but the behavior had become a nasty habit. Jellal kissed her quickly before sitting up in the bed.

"And we gotta do something about this room. I don't want my daughter thinking I'm some idiot teenager."

Erza chuckled and poked him with her foot. "You _are_ an idiot teenager. And don't think I missed you calling the baby your daughter. Have you decided to believe Lucy now?"

"No," he mumbled, sliding off the mattress. "I probably just said that because everyone else is saying it."

 _"Right."_ Erza grinned and watched him dress in his waitstaff uniform. The restaurant wouldn't pay for everything the baby needed, but they'd hired both Erza and Jellal without judgement, and that meant a lot to both of them. Between living in his family home, two part-time jobs, student aid, and social services, Erza thought maybe they could skate by. The kitchen experience would also help her when she started classes in the fall.

Thinking too far ahead made everything seem intimidating, though. Erza took Anna's advice to heart and focused on what she could control. In a few weeks her mother would return from vacation and the peaceful summer would be dumped on its head. The unavoidable confrontation regarding the abortion Erza _didn't_ have would be excruciating.

"Hey," Jellal tapped her forehead with the tip of his finger. "Where did you go?"

"Sorry. I was just thinking about my mom."

"Don't apologize. It's stressful for you, I know. Just remember she can't make you do anything. We've got all your stuff, and you live here now, and we're going to have a baby, and we have all that cash in my sock drawer. All she can do it whine about it."

"I just wish I knew when she'd show up. Most of my stress is coming from the unknown."

Jellal sat beside her on the edge of the bed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You won't be alone. No matter what, you won't have to face _any_ of this alone."

Erza turned to press a kiss to his shoulder. "Thanks," she mumbled. "I –" The alarm on his phone interrupted her and Erza grimaced.

"Duty calls." Jellal stood and tucked his shirt in quickly before kissing her forehead once more. "I'll be back by five."

He left her alone in his bedroom that still very much looked like it belonged to a teenage boy with a girlfriend who slept over a lot. Erza had just settled back into the bed when Jellal poked his head though the door that sat slightly ajar.

"Uh, don't buy too much pink stuff. Lucy may be an experienced reader now but _please_ don't put cards above science. It'll be such a hassle t–"

"Go to work, Jellal, I won't let Lucy steamroll me today."

"I love you," he said with a smile she could hear.

"I love you too, now go."

* * *

Pregnancy brought on the most vivid dreams. It didn't matter if she was deep in sleep or dozed off on the couch for a nap, the dreams would come with their bright colors and all-too-real scenarios.

In the back of her sleep-heavy mind, Erza knew she and Jellal never once considered sex in her mother's bed but... that's what flipped through her mind like a peepshow reel. His hands touched her in all the places that made her skin crackle and blood ignite. His mouth brought bruises to bloom on her neck and thighs. Wads of her mother's blankets were gathered in her palms. Why had they never done this before? How liberating to... he was speaking to her now.

"Hm?" Erza's throat was dry and scratchy. A total contradiction to the rest of her body.

"Erza." Jellal's face was directly in front of her now. He brushed the hair from her eyes and grinned.

"What?"

"Erza, sweetie, you're still sleeping." A laugh muddled his face and Erza felt even more confused.

Her eyes snapped open and Anna smiled at her from the floor. She was crouched next to the bed wearing one of her outlandishly printed sets of scrubs.

"Good morning," Anna said. "You're a tough one to rouse! Meredy is still the worst, though."

"I'm so sorry," Erza mumbled. Her hair felt damp with sweat, and her body was still recovering from the intensity of her dream.

"Don't worry about it. I had some of the wildest dreams when I was pregnant." Anna winked at her and stood. "It didn't help that I snacked ridiculously before sleeping."

"I didn't mean to sleep so late."

"It's not really that late. I'm sorry to drag you up, but I've been called in for a few hours and Meredy has a soccer game at noon. Could you maybe take her? It's more of a tournament really, and the weather is supposed to be breezy."

"Of course, I don't mind at all."

"I know you had plans with Lucy –"

"Oh, no, it's completely fine. Natsu will fit in much better at a sporting event than picking out pink onesies I know Jellal will hate anyway."

"He's still stuck on that, huh?" Anna sighed and headed for the door. "Onesie color doesn't matter. Babies don't care how they're dressed."

"I think he just wants Lucy to be wrong."

"That wouldn't surprise me either. Those two have always gone back and forth about things. Anyway, Meredy will dress herself and all her gear is in the bags by the door. Thanks so much, Erza, I really appreciate it."

"It's not a problem at all. I should shower, though."

Anna laughed and grabbed the door knob.

"Sometimes you need a long shower to rinse off a good sex dream."

Erza groaned in embarrassment when Anna left her alone in the bed. Had it really been so obvious?

* * *

"Thrash anyone who gets in your way, Meredy!" Natsu yelled from the bleachers. Lucy jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow even as Meredy grinned and gave him two thumbs up.

The sports complex was more crowded than Erza anticipated. When Anna said _tournament,_ she wasn't kidding. More schools than could be counted were represented on the grid of fields. Erza half-wondered if she should've picked clothes that made her newly expanded belly less obvious, but the breeze made her dress flutter around her knees delightfully. Besides, the only person whose shock would upset her was thousands of miles away.

Halfway through the first game, Erza's stomach rumbled insistently. Of course she'd forgotten to eat again. If she didn't get something in her stomach soon, nausea would have her keeled over in the bathrooms.

"Here." Lucy plucked Natsu's bowl of nachos from his hands and placed them on Erza's lap. "Eat that. Natsu will go get you something more settling, too, if you want."

"Hey!" Natsu protested. "I stood in line for ten minutes!"

"And you can go do it again." Lucy stuffed a wad of bills in his pocket with a glare. "Get her a drink and something with protein."

"Sorry, Natsu," Erza muttered but couldn't bring herself to _not_ sample the nachos. They smelled divine. As she licked a drop of cheese from her fingertip, she knew she'd want more than just the one bowl.

"Don't worry about it," Natsu said as he stalked back toward the concessions booths.

As the day wore on it became obvious that Meredy's team was far from the best. One more loss and they'd be off the brackets entirely. The heat rose suddenly and Erza's stomach rolled. She thought maybe the two orders of nachos, a mustard covered hot dog, and a bag of chocolate covered pretzels had been too much. She left Natsu and Lucy to watch Meredy's team lose again and bolted for the bathrooms.

An empty stomach left her feeling lighter and less like she was stuck on a roller coaster, but Erza did have guilt over the food. Lucy had paid for it and now everything would join the rest of the sewer system. A cold splash on her face and the remainder of her water bottle brought Erza back to a state of presentability. She smoothed her dress and left the cool bathroom for the still-bright afternoon.

The figure waiting for her by the water fountains made her stomach flip over in an entirely different way. Not nausea but _anxiety_. Of all the people to catch her alone on this day.

"You don't look so good," Simon said pushing off the brick wall.

"I'm fine." Erza tossed the empty plastic bottle into the recycling bin next to the garbage but instantly wished she'd kept the item for fidgeting purposes. "What are you doing here?"

"My sister plays today." He eyed her up and down. "I gotta be honest, Erza, I don't remember you being so..."

"Pregnant?"

"What did your mother say about this?"

Erza shrugged. Of course he'd ask that. Simon was always far too keen on the opinions of her mother.

"I'm sure she'll have plenty to say when she returns from her cruise."

"I see. How did this even happen?"

"Sex. Did they not teach you that in your new school?" Erza knew she was being rude, but couldn't stop herself.

"Did Fernandes do this to you? Erza, I tried to tell you –"

"Just stop."

"Your mom warned you too. That whole family is fucking weird. I can't believe I'm saying this but let me take care of this for you! It's not too late."

 _"...what?"_

"There's doctors who can work with you, or we can find a nice family –"

"You might want to think again about finishing that sentence," Natsu's voice was a life raft in violent waters.

"Erza, are you okay? We came to check on you when you didn't come back. Meredy's ready to go home." Lucy's arm slid through hers and she tugged ever so slightly.

"You don't talk to Erza or about Lucy's family ever again." Natsu wasn't nearly as tall as Simon, but he poked the other boy in the chest all the same. "If I hear even a whisper –"

"Natsu," Lucy interrupted. "Let's go. Meredy's waiting."

"This is what happens when you play in the gutters, Erza. Come to me when you realize you're better." Simon spoke over Natsu's head, and shoved him unnecessarily in the shoulder before clearing out of the area.

"That fucking guy..." Natsu trailed off.

"He's a dick," Lucy said, pulling Erza back toward the open fields. "Let's just go."

"Can you believe he said that shit about your family, Lucy? I should beat his face in."

"No, what you _should_ do is let it go before we see Meredy. She doesn't need to know about any of this, because she's just a kid. Let's get her out of here."

* * *

Jellal's shift ended mid-meal, and he joined his sister, Erza, and their friends at the patio table. Meredy and Natsu regaled him with highly dramatized match recaps while Erza simply leaned into his side quietly. The run-in with Simon wouldn't be without consequence. She could feel it in her chest.

"Hey," Jellal said softly in her ear. "What's wrong?"

"I'll tell you tonight," Erza replied with a sigh. Her head lolled backwards to smile up at him. Jellal tightened his arm around her and moved in for a kiss.

"You guys need a room. No wonder Erza's pregnant," Natsu interrupted. Meredy broke out into hysterical giggles.

"They do this _all_ the time at home. It's _horrible!_ " She tugged on Natsu's sleeve, feeding off his immaturity.

"I bet they ruin every meal."

"Oh, they totally do."

"Do you only kiss Lucy in the dark, then?" Jellal asked swiping a handful of fries from his sister's plate while she was distracted.

 _"What?!"_ Meredy pulled a face and stared at Natsu. "You _kiss_ Lucy? _Why?_ "

"Well... because..." Natsu glared at Jellal. "Now look what you've done. She thinks I'm a kissy-face traitor."

"Well, you _are._ " Lucy glanced up from her phone to grin at him. Without warning she leaned over the table and kissed Natsu soundly. "You have to catch them by surprise, Meredy, or they never stop talking."

Meredy exploded into giggles, and Natsu crossed his arms over his chest in an obviously faux-frustration.

* * *

Erza dragged the comb through Meredy's curls, and hoped if she were truly carrying a girl, her daughter would have hair half as beautiful.

"I'm so excited," Meredy said as Erza twisted the wet strands into a braid. "I've never had a sister before. Do you think the baby will like me?"

"Well," Erza grasped for words. "Of course the baby will like you. Everybody does. But –"

"I know she's not really my sister, but is it okay if I claim her anyway?" Meredy turned to face her and clutched a frilly pillow to her chest. "Do you think Jellal will mind?"

"He won't mind," Erza said softly. She pulled the sheets back and helped Meredy under them. "She can be your sister if you want."

"Do you think it's really a girl?" Meredy asked in a whisper-yawn.

"I think Lucy's guess is as good as anyone's."

"Everything's gonna be okay, right? There's nothing wrong, is there?"

Erza perched on the edge of Meredy's mattress and tugged gently on the end of her braid.

"There's nothing wrong that can't be fixed. Me and your brother are pretty young for a baby, but we have you and your mom, and that's a pretty solid team, I think."

"What about _your_ mom?"

"My mom and I don't agree on a lot of things right now, but I don't want you worrying about any of that."

"Is it grownup stuff?"

"Kind of, yeah." Erza smiled and pulled the blankets up to Meredy's chin. "So don't worry about it. _I'll_ handle my mom." She switched on the nightlight and pulled the lamp chain. Semi-darkness settled over the room.

"You won't leave, will you?" Meredy asked in a whisper. "We're a family now, right?"

"We are. I promise no one is leaving." Erza leaned down to brush a kiss over Meredy's forehead and closed the bedroom door behind her. She hadn't expected to have such a heavy conversation with Jellal's seven year old sister.

Erza found Jellal stretched out in his bed. He set his phone aside and rolled over to pull her against him. She sighed and enjoyed the simplicity of the moment. Nothing ever seemed as pressing in the quiet of evening or morning.

"What happened today?" he asked not wasting any time.

"I saw Simon at the tournament," Erza said, tracing formless shapes into his chest with her fingers. "He had nothing nice to say about anyone."

"He's such a pretentious ass," Jellal murmured.

"Well, Natsu found us and told him off. I wasn't by myself for very long. At least Meredy didn't hear any of the stuff he said about your family."

"That's good. She'll hear the gossip eventually, but hopefully not like that." Jellal sighed. "Your mom always did prefer him."

"It doesn't matter. He can't make the situation with my mother any worse than it already is." Erza fidgeted for a moment longer before grimacing. "He told me I could still abort if I hurry."

Jellal's face darkened.

"He also said he'd help me _'find a nice family'_ which I assume he thought to be helpful adoption advice." Erza scowled.

"In his mind that would be the first step to getting you away from my scandalous family." Jellal's fingers were stiff in her hair. "He's got a lot of nerve."

"Simon is the least of my concerns. He's just a future frat boy."

Erza touched his cheek and smiled. His expression hadn't lost all tension, but she was so exhausted that when he kissed her goodnight, it was the last thing she remembered.

* * *

Three weeks later, as August drew to a close, Erza's phone began to ring and just didn't stop. Ikaruga had finally returned from Alvarez. Erza switched off her phone and left it in the mail basket near the front door. Jellal said nothing, but thought maybe the confrontation should happen sooner rather than later. He knew Erza well enough to be intimately acquainted with her method of stress management. She'd internalize until near explosion.

When the doorbell interrupted dinner on a Wednesday evening, Erza's phone sat beneath two days of mail. Jellal exchanged a heavy glance with his mother and squeezed Erza's hand under the table. Anna answered the door. He heard curt greetings exchanged before Ikaruga rounded the corner of the dining room. Her eyes settled on only Erza and the baby bump partially hidden by the table.

"Erza, could I speak to you in the other room, please?" The question was posed in a way that excluded everyone else present.

"Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of Jellal. We've made this choice together." Erza's grip on his hand grew painful, but he didn't let go.

"Meredy, sweetheart, why don't you come with me and we'll do bath time, okay?" Anna held out a hand for her daughter, who dashed from the room as quickly as possible. Before following Meredy, Anna pursed her lips and shook her head at Jellal.

Once the room was cleared, Ikaruga's eyes narrowed. She sucked in a slow breath through her nose.

"I received an email from Simon Mikazuchi a few weeks ago. He had a most interesting account to share with me."

"Why am I not surprised," Erza said dryly. "Glad to hear you rushed back to verify my good health."

"Sarcasm is unbecoming of you, Erza. I'm very disappointed in your decision to not terminate this unplanned, and inappropriate, pregnancy."

Jellal felt the anger rising in his chest. Erza pulled his hand into her lap. He'd hold his tongue for now.

"Are you still going to insist I'm ruining _my_ life the way I ruined _yours?_ "

"As I said before I left, don't put words in my mouth. And as for my situation, I managed to rise above, but you lack my tenacity to do the same." Ikaruga crossed her arms over her chest and stared her daughter down.

"You mispronounced _ruthlessness_ ," Erza retorted.

"They aren't mutually exclusive terms. I've tried very hard to make a life for us despite being _abandoned._ " Ikaruga's eyes flit to Jellal accusingly – as if _he'd_ been the one to leave his child behind. "I raised you to make responsible choices. I couldn't stop you from seeing this boy, so I made sure you were protected. Obviously not even _that_ could stop you from making my mistakes."

"You wanted me to have an abortion. You called _me_ a mistake and said the baby is going to ruin my life."

"I have only ever wanted you to build a secure foundation before committing to a relationship built on puppy love, and saddling yourself with at least eighteen years of expensive child rearing."

Erza scowled at her mother and stood from her chair. Jellal watched as she smoothed the front of her dress; her pregnancy was incredibly obvious now.

"I won't address the way you described my relationship with Jellal. You've never approved –"

"Simon would've been better," Ikaruga interrupted. "He's always been so sweet to you."

" _Regardless_ of your disapproval, I _am_ pregnant. Jellal and I _are_ having a baby."

"Erza, _please_ just come home. We'll work through this."

"I _am_ home, Mom. I've been living here since you left and I'm happy."

Ikaruga rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I'm sure you are. Access to sex anytime you want it is very appealing..." She smirked and glared at Jellal again. "For the _both_ of you. I can't believe Anna is allowing this to happen under her roof. Erza, this family is –"

Jellal abruptly stood and opened his mouth to stop whatever slander was about to fall from her lips but Anna suddenly appeared behind Ikaruga.

"What was that you were about to say about my family, Ikaruga? I'm _very_ curious."

Ikaruga turned in surprise but her expression didn't change at all.

"Only that you and your sister have always been strange. It must be a family heirloom passed down from generation to generation. I'd rather you not pollute my daughter, and this child she _insists_ on carrying, with your superstitious, card reading, astrological nonsense."

Jellal watched Anna's expression cloud over. He couldn't remember the last time she'd looked so dangerous.

"I'd rather my family be strange and superstitious than vindictive and ordinary. My son spent weeks patching the holes you left in Erza's heart when you left for a vacation in spite of her needing a mother the most. I will not have you come into my home and rip them open again."

Erza's hand found Jellal's again as she watched her mother deflate.

"In fact, I'm going to have to ask you to leave until you can behave yourself. We don't tolerate negative energy in this house. It's bad for the family and it's bad for Erza."

Ikaruga looked back at Erza. "You can come with me now and we'll discuss this or you can stay here and accept what that means."

"And what exactly would my staying here mean?" Erza whispered.

"If you don't come home now..." For the first time since she'd arrived Ikaruga appeared to falter in her harsh bravado. "Then you can't," she finished firmly. "You'll be at the mercy of Jellal and his unreliable affections. Trust me, Erza, I know exactly what you're feeling right now, and it won't last." Ikaruga's chin trembled and she gripped the handle of her purse tightly. "I'm trying to save you from the heartache my own choice brought me."

"I'm not leaving."

Ikaruga's mouth almost fell open in shock but she caught herself. Her angry eyes slid from Erza to Jellal, and back to Anna. As abruptly as she'd arrived, she left. Jellal flinched at every click of her heels on the tile hallway. The house was silent after the front door slammed shut.

Jellal watched Erza sink back into her chair and pick up her fork. Her hand shook and she heaved a too-quiet breath.

"Erza –" he began.

"You know what? I'm not actually very hungry anymore." She glanced up at Anna apologetically. "It was a wonderful dinner, though. I think maybe my stomach is just upset."

"Don't worry about it, sweetie. I'll put the rest in a bowl for you in the fridge in case you wake up hungry later." Anna reached across the table and took Erza's plate.

"I think I'm going to get some sleep. I have to work tomorrow," she said softly before vacating the dining room quickly.

Jellal shoved his balled fists into his pockets.

"That was awful," he said once he was sure Erza couldn't hear him. "I can't believe –"

"Believe it," Anna interjected. "Things'll change once the baby comes, but for now you need to go upstairs and make sure Erza is okay."

Jellal nodded and left his mother in the dining room to clean up after the meal. He found Erza in bed, curled around her belly and a pillow over her head. No words of comfort came to his mind so instead of speaking he lay beside her, pulled the blankets over the both of them and kissed her shoulder.

"I'm sorry my mom is so horrible. I knew she'd be upset but I didn't think she'd cut me out of her life like that," Erza choked out between quiet sobs. "I didn't realize how much she resented me."

"You don't owe anyone an apology for what just happened. _I'm_ sorry that she hurt you."

Erza pushed away the pillow and rolled over to face him. Jellal wiped the tears from her cheeks and decided he'd never hated anyone as much as he hated Erza's mother.

"I know what she said about you isn't true. Even if we... I mean, if things didn't work out –" Erza broke off and bit her lip.

"Listen, Erza, I love you. And I want this baby, too." He took her hands in his and kissed her knuckles. "Even if, by some _bizarre_ circumstance, we don't live happily ever after, I would _never_ abandon you and our child. _Never._ "

Erza sighed heavily and tried to smile.

"I trust you, Jellal, and I love you, too. I'm sorry I need you so much but –"

"Hey, don't do that. You gotta stop apologizing. This is something we did together, and we'll continue to do it together. We have my mom and each other. That'll be enough." He pulled her against him as much as he could and straightened the wrinkles in her sun dress over her belly. "Are you okay?"

"I will be," she said softly.

He waited until she was fully asleep before finally scowling. Jellal knew he didn't need Ikaruga's approval to make Erza happy and raise a baby with her, but the idea that his child's maternal grandmother harbored so many misgivings bothered him. He didn't want it to, but it did.

As Erza slept, Jellal decided firmly that he wouldn't let anything get in the way of making everyone – including Ikaruga – proud of him one day. He'd make her eat her words.

* * *

Erza groaned in frustration as she dropped her keys beside the front walk. They fell right through the snow and into the frozen grass beneath. She hadn't been able to fully bend over in a while, and the gleam of silver beyond the snow taunted her annoyingly. Her back hurt, her feet hurt, her stomach growled irritably, and all she _really_ wanted to do was take a nap.

With a huff, Erza left the keys in the snow and marched up to the front door to ring the bell. Meredy could be heard zooming through the house, and Erza waved at her when she peeked past the curtain.

"Erza! Did you lose your keys?" she asked with the same bright smile as always.

"No, they fell in the snow. Do you think you could get down there and grab them for me?" Erza said with a blush. Meredy giggled and bounded down the steps to retrieve the keys.

"The baby doesn't like it when you bend over, huh?" Meredy followed Erza into the house where she made a bee-line the living room couch.

"I don't think the baby likes anything I do lately," Erza murmured, falling backwards into the plush cushions. She pushed her bag to the floor and closed her eyes. The relaxation was brief, though, as an announcement from Meredy and another rumble from her stomach interrupted.

"Jellal has a surprise for you!"

"Is it food?" Erza asked, not opening her eyes.

"No, silly!" Meredy hesitated. "He'll be mad if I tell you."

"I see. Well, where is he?"

"He's been in the baby's room since this morning."

Erza nodded and hoisted herself back to her feet. She'd been in classes all day. Between the uncomfortable seats and the hours of standing in a kitchen, the last thing she wanted to do was climb the stairs. With each passing week the top landing seemed farther and farther away.

The sound of a fan blowing had her attention before the faint smell of paint. Erza raised her hand to knock on the door frame of the baby's room but her mouth fell open before her knuckle ever found purchase. Jellal grinned at her from the floor. He was stuffing packing materials back into the box the crib had been in when she'd left that morning. The walls of the baby's room were now a soft yellow and rolls of border printed with giraffes, zebras, and elephants were stacked on a new dresser she didn't recognize. Instead of collecting dust in a box, the crib was now assembled and sat against the wall opposite the window. A cushioned glider chair that looked particularly appealing in her exhausted state had sets of crib sheets and blankets piled in the seat. Packages of baby clothes – all yellow, green, and cream colored – poked from between the crib bars.

Instead of words from her mouth, tears fell from her eyes.

"You're not supposed to cry, Erza!" Jellal said jumping up and pulling her into a hug. "Do you hate it?"

"No," she whispered. "I don't hate it. I just can't believe you did all this." Erza sniffled and wiped at her cheeks. "And this furniture... where did it come from?"

"This stuff was a gift from Aunt Layla. Natsu and Lucy brought it over while you were in class." The way he smiled down at her made Erza feel like crying again. "I thought I could have all the mess cleaned up before you got home but you're a little earlier than I expected."

"A gift?" Erza looked around the room and thought for the first time in months that it looked like a baby might be okay in it. "I didn't expect anyone to –"

"I was surprised, too. Aunt Layla has a big heart."

"And you put everything together by yourself?"

"Well, no," Jellal said sheepishly. He gathered up the last pieces of foam wrappings and stuffed them into the crib box. "Natsu was here until a little while ago, but he had to go to work. I only did the crib by myself."

"I'll have to thank Layla in person," Erza said quietly, running her fingers over the top of the dresser that somehow matched the crib. She suspected Layla had gotten some insider information from Anna.

"There's more," Jellal said. "I don't want you to freak out."

For the first time Erza frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"Come on." He grabbed her hand and led her down the hallway toward his bedroom. Jellal pushed the door open and Erza didn't know how to react to the near emptiness of it.

"I don't understand. Where's all of our stuff?"

"My mom told me a couple of weeks ago we could have the basement suite. I moved everything down there today while you were gone. It's still a work in progress but like I said you're a little early..."

 _"What?!"_ Erza gasped. "But... but that was your _dad's_ study and I don't know if –"

"You can ask her about it in private if you want, but she said it felt like a waste to have such a large, unused space when the family is growing." Jellal twisted a strand of Erza's hair around his finger absently. "And I think my dad would approved."

"Why didn't you _tell_ me?"

Jellal sighed.

"Because I needed to handle the situation down there. Mom took care of most of his papers and books after he died but it wasn't fit to be a full time bedroom. The mattresses and everything were still covered in moving blankets, and it's obviously been a while since we've used the rooms. I didn't want to saddle you with more things to worry about before the baby comes. I just kinda thought I'd show you when it was ready."

"And it's ready now?"

"Mostly, yeah. We'll need a few things but it's presentable."

"Can I see?"

Jellal smiled again and took her hand. She followed him through the hallway, down the stairs, and to the door that had always been closed. Of course she'd been in the basement before – it wasn't a forbidden area – but Erza had a hard time reconciling her memories with a livable space.

When they reached the bottom of the carpeted staircase Erza could tell right away that Jellal had been working on the basement long before today. Acnologia's sizable desk and bookshelves were now situated in a corner with Jellal's textbooks stacked in hurried piles – the amount of freed floorspace revealed a room much larger than she remembered.

"I bought a smaller bed for the baby to have down here with us until she's big enough to sleep on her own upstairs," Jellal said pointing to the portable crib beside the bed that was much larger than the one upstairs. "And the bathroom is spotless. Meredy insisted on helping today so I put her in there."

Erza's eyes took in the bed – still in need of a new set of sheets – and the old couch that sat beneath the basement windows.

"I don't know what to say," she whispered, swallowing a second wave of tears. "I thought we'd be –"

"Cramped in my room upstairs with a baby?"

"Yes." Erza could barely breathe for the tightness in her throat.

"I told you everything would work out," Jellal murmured, pulling her against his chest. "We can do this."

Erza felt a flurry of activity from the baby, and Jellal laughed before gently pressing a hand to her middle.

"Let's get you some dinner. Mom will be home soon, and you can tell her everything I know you're thinking."

"It's not just Anna and Layla that deserve my thanks, Jellal." Erza squeezed his hand. "You too. You've been so wonderful this whole time and I feel like all I do is sleep and eat and –"

 _"Are you kidding?"_ he asked incredulously. " _You're_ the one growing the baby inside of your body! It blows my mind that you think you don't do anything! On top of the baby stuff you still go to work and school! Erza, you've got to give yourself a break."

"January twentieth is sneaking up on me," she whispered. "The baby will be here in just over a month."

"One thing at a time, okay?" Jellal nudged her chin up with his fingers and smiled. "We're prepared."

Even though she felt nearly overcome with emotion and exhaustion, Erza smiled too. She didn't feel as prepared as Jellal insisted they were, but he didn't seem to mind her leaning on him.

* * *

Erza's bag had been packed for a week when she woke up at two in the morning sweating and clutching the blankets.

"Jellal," she whispered harshly. He groaned in his sleep but didn't wake. Erza grasped his shoulder and shook him. _"Jellal!"_

"Hm? What? What's going on?" He sat up quickly and glanced her over. "Is it time to go? _Are you okay?_ "

"I don't know," Erza panted. "It really hurts but –" She cut off and dug her fingernails into her palms.

"Let's go," Jellal said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "The worst that can happen is they send us back home."

"Okay." She didn't have the wherewithal to fight him on it. The pain situated itself exactly where her books said it should be, and she had a feeling in her gut that told her the baby was coming.

Jellal threw on his boots and coat before grabbing Erza's packed bag.

"Do you need help with your clothes?" he asked with wide eyes.

"No, just go tell your mom what's going on, and I'll meet you by the front door."

* * *

Jellal stared down at the fluffy bundle in his arms. The face that peeked from between the folds of blankets was tiny and beautiful. Of course, Lucy had been right and he now had a daughter. Jellal didn't know how he could possibly care so much about someone he'd just met, but without a doubt he loved his child fiercely.

Like her mother, the baby spent most of the morning and afternoon sleeping. Erza dozed in the bed beside him as the snow fell quietly outside. Anna had taken Meredy to pick up Layla and Lucy and there'd been no word from Ikaruga – even though Jellal sent her a text message just before leaving the house.

Erza's hand suddenly tugged on his sleeve.

"Sorry I fell asleep again," she muttered with an exhausted grin. "I should've known how hard it would be. They call it _labor_ for a reason, I guess."

"You did great, Erza." Jellal leaned over the edge of her bed and placed the baby in her arms. "I don't think I could pull something like that off."

"...and _that's_ why they leave the child birth to the women!" Anna said from the doorway. "Can I come in? My granddaughter has a demanding public."

Jellal adjusted Erza's bed into a sitting position and Anna took the baby with a ridiculously sentimental smile.

"She looks just like Erza," Anna whispered. "So precious."

The door inched open again and Lucy poked her head in with Meredy at her heels. Erza waved and there were suddenly three more people in the room. Anna sat on the couch and let Meredy have a careful peek at the baby.

"Well?" Lucy asked with a smirk. "Do I need to say I told you so or what?"

"So you were right about this _one_ thing," Jellal said rolling his eyes.

"It's going on my resume!" Lucy turned to Erza and smiled. "How do you feel? I'm sorry we missed everything but some of the roads were blocked."

"It's okay," Erza said. "I'm just very tired."

"That's completely understandable," Layla said from behind Lucy. "I'll make you some tea satchels for when you go home. They'll help you relax."

Jellal sighed loudly but Erza smiled and nodded.

"Thank you."

Meredy climbed into bed with Erza and accepted the baby carefully in her lap.

"She's so pretty, Erza," she mused. "You make the best babies." Erza laughed and wrapped her arm around Meredy's shoulders. "Have you named her yet?"

"No," Erza said softly touching the dimpled cheek of her daughter. "We haven't settled on anything."

A throat cleared awkwardly from the doorway and the room fell silent. Ikaruga stood with her hands stuffed into her puffy winter coat and tried to keep her eyes on Erza.

"I'm sorry to interrupt..." she trailed off when she found the baby in Meredy's lap. "Is it okay that I came?"

"Of course," Erza said. Meredy carefully transferred the baby to Erza's arms and followed her mother, Layla, and Lucy from the room. Jellal pressed his lips to Erza's forehead and moved to exit the room.

"No," Ikaruga spoke up. "Jellal should stay. I'm not here to fight anyone. She's his baby too and I'm..." she glanced over the fuzzy pink blankets. "It _is_ a girl, right?"

"Yes, it's a girl." Erza scooted toward Jellal in the bed and pat the mattress beside her. "You can come hold her, if you want."

Ikaruga met Jellal's eyes and he nodded at her before squeezing Erza's shoulder and shoving his hands in his pockets. She took the baby in her arms and settled on the edge of the hospital bed. Her finger lightly brushed over the soft layer of scarlet hair.

"She looks just like you, Erza," Ikaruga whispered. "She's perfect. I remember thinking when you were born that you looked so much like my own mother and I wished –" she cut off and swallowed what sounded like tears. "I was never like her. I wanted to be, though. Erza, I'm so sorry."

"Mom –"

"No, please, I need you to hear me. I've been a rotten mother and there's really no excuse." She sniffled and a few tears fell to the pink blanket. "I wanted you to have it easier than I did, and I'm afraid I alienated and hurt you in the process. I've said some terrible things and I can't take them back now."

"I just wanted you to support my choices. Even before the baby, I wanted you to be happy with what I picked for myself."

"Erza, your choices have always been sound. You _aren't_ me... but I was afraid you were. I'm so sorry." Ikaruga shifted the baby back to Erza and looked up at Jellal. "I owe you and your mother an apology too. I was completely out of line."

"We're a forgiving bunch," Jellal murmured. He wasn't quite ready to let go of all the tears Erza had shed over her mother, but he could _try_... because that's obviously what Erza wanted.

"Have you named her yet?"

"No," Erza said. "Nothing has really felt right so far, and I think Jellal was hoping for a boy."

"I wasn't _hoping_ for a boy," he said with a frown. "I just wanted Lucy to be wrong. Now she'll gloat forever."

"If I might make a suggestion," Ikaruga began. "It was such a shame that Erza never got to meet her own grandmother – you really are _very_ much like her, you know – but perhaps you could call the baby Eileen?"

"Eileen," Erza whispered gazing down at the baby. "I think I like it."

* * *

 _Eighteen Months Later_

"We'll have her back by dinner," Lucy said, shoving the bag of half inflated pool toys into her trunk. "I thought maybe you guys could use some quiet time."

"Thanks, Lucy. Anna has been covering everyone's extra shifts because of that stomach bug and I think Meredy wants a break from us, too." Erza tugged on her smock. She knew she smelled of marinara sauce and desperately wanted a shower.

"I heard about that. Go enjoy the break. Meredy said Eileen just went down for a nap so you probably have a good hour."

"Perfect," Erza said with a relieved sigh. She waved Lucy, Meredy and Natsu off before heading into the house. Everything was blissfully silent. Her dirty smock was left in the laundry room before taking the stairs as quietly as possible to the second floor. Eileen had been moved to her own room for sleeping after her first birthday and, surprisingly, the adjustment period hadn't lasted long. She would now sleep on her own for eight to nine hours before waking and demanding attention.

Erza saw this change as a blessing, but Jellal was a little sad to see her go. He doted on Eileen in a way that Erza thought was borderline spoiling, but Anna assured her he'd been an extremely needy baby himself and wasn't surprised at all by his behavior. Ikaruga still didn't feel completely comfortable in the Fernandes home but joined them once a week for dinner. She seemed to value the time she spent with Erza, Jellal, and the baby as a group, but was especially happy to look after Eileen when other childcare fell through. Even though Erza now lived with Jellal all the time, she'd never felt more close to her mother.

Their schedule had slowed down for the summer, but work quickly filled the empty slots college classes left behind. Erza thought their life would be full throttle until at least one of them finished school – probably her before Jellal.

Erza peeked into the nursery and found Jellal asleep on the floor, with Eileen sprawled out over his chest. She vigorously sucked away on her pacifier and clutched his shirt tightly. The sight wasn't uncommon. Jellal didn't particularly care for leaving Eileen to put herself to sleep – even though Erza disagreed with him – and staying with her for naps was a compromise on his part.

She slipped into the room and poked him gently in the shoulder. Jellal's eyes fluttered open and he smiled up at her. Erza slid her hands around Eileen's middle and lifted her off his chest. Her fingers had to be pried from the t-shirt, but she didn't wake when Erza transferred her to the crib.

Jellal grabbed the baby monitor, followed her from the yellow room, and down the stairs.

"Where's Meredy?" he asked, yawning.

"Lucy and Natsu took her swimming. She'll be back for dinner." Erza continued through the house and down to their basement bedroom.

"You smell delicious," Jellal said pulling her against him once they reached the very bottom floor.

"And _you_ smell like baby drool." Erza pushed his shirt over his head and switched on the baby monitor before leaving it on the desk. "I was going to shower... you can join me if you want."

She left a trail of clothing behind her as she made her way to the bathroom. Jellal's hands slid around her waist as the hot water pelted her chest. As much as she wanted him, Erza also very much wanted to _not_ smell like marinara.

Sometime in the last year Erza and Jellal had found a wordless way of communication. On days like this he seemed to read her mind. A blob of shampoo cooled her scalp and his fingers worked into her hair. Erza let him wash her hair with closed eyes and the ghost of a smile. Clusters of soap bubbles slid down her body and before he reached around her to switch off the water they both smelled of cherry body wash.

When her back hit the sheets and Jellal tossed the towels aside he grinned down at her before taking her lips in a kiss that felt overdue. His fingers slid along the leg she'd wrapped around his waist and over her breast to settle on her neck. Erza's teeth sank into her bottom lip when he entered her teasingly slow.

The week had been exhausting and her tension didn't take long to crack. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders as an uncontrollable wave of pleasure rolled through her body. Jellal's arms trembled and he brought her with him as he fell into the bed beside her. Erza kissed him softly and tugged on the hair at base of his neck.

"That was fast," she said with a smile.

"I didn't get the impression you were looking for longevity." He laughed quietly and nudged her nose with his.

"I wasn't." Erza opened her mouth to ask him how the morning went but a yawn came out instead. "Sorry," she murmured.

"Don't apologize. None of this is easy."

"I don't care if it's easy," Erza said kissing him again. "I'm happy and have no regrets." She pressed her face against his chest and sighed. "How long until Eileen is awake again?"

"Depends. She didn't nap this morning so maybe another half hour or so."

"I miss three naps a day."

"Eventually there won't be naps at all." Jellal's fingers strayed into her hair again and he brushed his lips over her forehead. "I'll get her and bring her down here when she wakes up. You should take a nap."

Erza thought to protest but as her eyelids became heavy she couldn't bring herself to do it. When she woke up again the fading sunlight filtered through the basement windows that lined the top of the west wall and Eileen had a handful of her still-damp hair in her fist. Her daughter smiled, and the weight of the world slid off her shoulders.


	15. Napping With Dragons

_**"Namiiswan asked: 'I tried to take a nap but couldn't sleep because you weren't her with me' Pls and thanks."**_

 _ **It's a headcanon that Jellal's hair is actually softer than Erza's and their daughter loves to touch it. Naming the next-gen isn't a skill I posses so please forgive me.**_

* * *

 **Napping With Dragons**

* * *

"Alright, then," Erza said sweeping into the living room with a beleaguered finality. "She's asleep, and I'm off."

Jellal smiled as she fidgeted.

"We'll be _fine."_ He stood and brought her into a hug.

Erza's arms circled his waist and she sighed.

"I know that," she mumbled. "I _know_ you'll be fine. It's just that she's never been sick like that before and the fever only broke _yesterday_..."

"And you'll be home tomorrow. Nothing tragic can happen in twenty-four hours." She gazed up at him and an irritated sound escaped her lips. Jellal kissed her forehead. "You'll miss your train if you don't get going," he whispered.

"You're right. I'm being ridiculous."

 _"No,"_ he said firmly. "You're just being an attentive mother."

Erza stepped back from him and requipped into the armor he saw her in most. It wasn't his favorite but the things he loved on Erza most weren't appropriate for travel. With a hand on the doorknob she turned back around once more.

"If I'm not back by tomorrow evening –"

"Then you'll be back the next day."

Her lips curled into a sheepish grin, and she waved goodbye before finally leaving.

* * *

Jellal hadn't been settled back on the couch for long when the sound of shuffling feet in footie pajamas drew his attention. Her hair – just a shade darker than Erza's – was a mess and she clutched a pink stuffed dragon against her chest. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of his very much awake daughter.

"What happened to your nap?" he asked.

Hoshi didn't answer him right away and instead crawled up to be next to him on the couch.

"I don't like sleeping alone," she said quietly. "Where's mommy?"

"She went out on a job and will probably be back tomorrow." Jellal set aside his book and pulled Hoshi into his lap. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," she whispered. "Can I sleep out here with you?"

"You wouldn't rather have a nap in your bed?"

She shook her head no, and reached up to touch the strands of hair that always hung in his face. Jellal hadn't ever thought much of his own hair but Hoshi liked to insist it was softer than Erza's. Something he still didn't quite believe.

"Is that the dragon doll Natsu gave you on your birthday?"

"Yeah. She didn't want to sleep alone either."

"I see. Well, if you have each other that's not really alone."

"It's not the same, daddy." Hoshi gazed up at him dolefully and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Okay, okay. How about we have a nap together in the big bed? I'm old and should probably have more naps anyway." Jellal stood and balanced his four year old daughter on his hip before tugging the lamp chain. She clutched at his shoulders but still managed to sneak her fingers into his hair.

"You're not _that_ old, daddy," she said with the first giggle he'd heard since she'd been sick.

Hoshi was already asleep by the time her head hit the pillow but still managed to curl into his side. Even though Jellal would've liked to finish his reading, he understood the need for company. He didn't like to sleep alone anymore either.


	16. Finding Happy

_**"Namiiswan asked: Imagine your OTP meeting because Person A works in the lost child area of the mall and Person B's little tearaway has managed to vanish, again. ;)"**_

 _ **The concept of a petulant little Natsu and his big sister/guardian Erza (who has had ENOUGH) appeals to me like not a whole lot of other things do. There is a lot of dialog in this and I hope that's okay.**_

* * *

 **Finding Happy**

* * *

Natsu skulked into the air conditioned office and slumped into a plastic chair. His shoes were untied, his knee was scraped, and his stomach growled angrily. He let his head fall backwards against the wall as he squeezed his eyes shut. There wasn't a pressing need to glance around and see if the office had changed at all – he'd been there what felt like a million times before.

"You again, huh?" a voice from behind the counter asked. Natsu grunted and scowled. "Since summer started a month ago I've seen you in here at least six times."

"Wandering off is my superpower, I guess," he mumbled. Natsu heard some papers shuffling and the scraping of chair legs against the floor a few feet away.

"Was it the cat again?"

Natsu opened his eyes and lolled his head to the side. The guy with the tattoo on his face grinned knowingly.

"It's _always_ the cat. I can't catch him."

"How do you know it's a _him?_ It could be a girl cat."

"I just have a strong feeling it's a boy. Why do you even have cats here anyway? They got sharp parts."

"We don't," the guy shrugged and leaned back against the wall. "It's probably a stray or came from the neighborhood across the street. The admin offices don't like the cat but it's an outdoor center and play area so there's really nothing they can do about it."

"They wouldn't hurt him, right?"

"Probably not."

"I gotta find him."

The guy raised an eyebrow. "What will you do with a cat?"

"My sister will have to let me bring him home." Natsu shrugged as if the answer was completely obvious.

"She's the redhead, right? I don't think she seems like a cat person."

"Erza'll get over it. She's gotta."

"That's not really how this kind of stuff works, kid."

Natsu rolled his eyes dramatically. "Listen, Jeral –"

"It's Jellal." The guy pointed at his name tag.

" _Whatever._ I can handle my sister. I just need to get my hands on the cat."

"I'm not sure what your methods are but if you're serious about it, I think maybe a new plan is in order."

"Maybe." Natsu swung his legs back and forth while eyeing the guy who worked in the lost and found office. He looked about the same age as Erza and besides the tattoo, there wasn't anything special about him. Of course, in Natsu's opinion, there wasn't anything special about _cake_ either, but his sister seemed to have a love affair with it anyway.

The door suddenly swung open and Erza's eyes swept the room before settling on Natsu. She frowned and Natsu sighed heavily.

"Are you _trying_ to give me a heart attack?" Erza demanded.

"I just wanted to –"

"If you bring up that cat again, Natsu, I'm going to scream. You _can't_ just follow stray animals whenever you see them! _What if she has rabies?_ "

"It's a boy cat," Natsu said.

"You don't know that. It could be a girl."

"That's what _I_ said," Jellal interrupted with a smile. Erza startled and finally noticed the other person in the room. Natsu snickered when her face turned almost the same shade of red as her hair.

"Oh! I, uh, I'm so sorry!" Erza stumbled over her words and Natsu enjoyed it _very_ much. "He keeps wandering off... I'm glad you're here... _again._ "

Natsu wanted to double over in laughter. Erza's cheeks grew even more red with embarrassment.

"I mean, no! Not that _you're_ specifically here... just this office!" She clutched her bag tighter and chewed on her bottom lip. "Not that you're not great! Um..." Erza scowled at Natsu when he finally broke out into laughter.

"It's fine," Jellal said as he stood and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He smiled at Erza in the same stupid way she smiled at him. Natsu's stomach growled again. "I know what you meant."

"Can we _please_ get lunch now? And in case you haven't noticed, my knee is bleeding." He gestured dramatically at the scrape. Erza's eyes finally tore away from Jellal and she frowned down at Natsu.

"If I wasn't a mature adult I'd say you deserve it."

"Yeah, you're _so_ mature. I bet lots of grownups eat cake in bed."

Erza gasped and glanced at Jellal again. He winked at her and leaned back against the counter.

"There's nothing wrong with cake in bed," he said with a shrug. Natsu hopped off the chair and pushed the door wide open.

 _"Erza,"_ he whined.

"Okay, okay." She smiled at Jellal again before allowing herself to be dragged from the office.

* * *

"We've got to stop meeting like this, kid," Jellal said with the smile Natsu had grown used to. "How's the cat hunt going?"

"One of these days –"

"You sound like my grandpa," Jellal interrupted with a laugh. "He's always saying that."

"Does your grandpa have a tattoo like yours?" Natsu asked, falling into a chair and crossing his arms behind his head.

"Yep."

Natsu watched Jellal step around the counter and join him in the row of chairs. He liked to ask blunt questions to gage responses. Erza called it _rude_ , but Natsu liked to think of it as _research._

"Say, Jeral –"

"It's Jellal."

"Right. Listen, do you have a girlfriend?"

"Uh –"

"Because I think my sister likes you. You make her face turn red but not in the mad way it usually does."

"I see," Jellal leaned back against the wall and stretched his legs out in front of him. "Does she get mad a lot?"

"Yes. I mean, _no!_ Well..." Natsu slumped sheepishly. "Sometimes. Mostly with me because she says I'm careless with stuff and scare her."

"If this super power of yours is something you do where ever you go I can imagine how scary it can be for her. What does your mom say about it?"

Natsu shrugged. "She's dead. Erza's been my mom for a long time. Besides her big bossy mouth, she's pretty nice."

"I'm sorry about your mom." Jellal offered.

"It's okay. I didn't know her. I'd rather be with Erza than anyone else. Our grandma is grouchy."

"I think it's an old people thing." Jellal crossed his ankles and sighed.

"Probably." Natsu turned in his chair to fully face Jellal. "So are you going to take my sister on a date or what? She's pretty, right? People say she's pretty a lot."

"I think that has be up to her. Does she know you're in here playing matchmaker?"

"No... but I think if you ask she'll say yes. I can't keep wandering off forever, Jeral. You gotta step up to the plate."

"So you run away from your sister, scaring her in the process... to find dates? And here I thought you just wanted a pet cat." Jellal smiled and Natsu liked the way his tattoo crinkled around his eye. He wondered if Erza would let him get one just like it.

"Well, I _do_ want the cat but –" Natsu was interrupted by the office door opening. Erza peeked inside and sighed in relief.

"Honestly, I should just look for you here first from now on. If you don't stop this nonsense I'm going to get you a GPS chip in your shoes!"

 _"Well?"_ Natsu glanced sharply at Jellal who was _not_ picking up on his signal. "Are you going to do it or what?"

"I think your brother wants a cat," Jellal said finally. Erza's expression twisted into confusion.

"What?" Her eyes slid back to Natsu. "You're chasing cats? _Again?_ We've been over this, Natsu. We can't have pets where we live."

"But... what about if he lives with Lucy? _She_ can take care of it for me!" Natsu offered half-heartedly.

"Yes, I'm sure Lucy's mom would _love_ it if we dropped off a random stray you picked up." Erza rolled her eyes and held open the door. "We've got to get going."

Natsu stood and glared at Jellal before dejectedly trudging from the office. He stopped just outside the door and poked the flower planters with his toe.

"I'm sorry he's been pestering you," Erza said to Jellal. "There's nothing I can do about the cat. He's wanted one for a while."

"It's okay." Jellal seemed to catch himself and suddenly offered his hand to Erza. "I'm Jellal, by the way. I feel like we meet too often to not be introduced."

Erza's cheeks turned pink as she took his hand. "I'm Erza. I'm really glad Natsu likes you enough to stay put when he's done wandering. He doesn't realize how dangerous it is to get lost."

"He's a smart kid, I think. But he's definitely got a wanderlust."

"Sometimes he's a little _too_ smart."

"I kinda got that," Jellal said with a soft laugh.

"Well," Erza reluctantly pulled her hand back and nodded toward the outside. "I should go."

"Right, okay."

* * *

Natsu poked his head into the lost and found office. Jellal leaned forward over the counter and smiled.

"I was wondering if I'd see you today."

"I think he's gone," Natsu said sadly.

"The cat?"

"Yeah. I looked everywhere and I didn't see him in any of the regular spots." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared down at his shoes.

"I found something this morning you might be interested in." Jellal ducked from view and Natsu perched on one of the chairs.

"Yeah? Like what?"

Jellal reappeared and joined Natsu on the row of chairs. He placed a pet carrier between them. Natsu's eyes widened and he gasped.

"You were right, by the way," Jellal said. "It's definitely a boy cat."

Natsu crouched in front of the carrier and peered inside. The fluffy blueish-grey cat purred loudly from the wad of blankets.

"You found him!" he exclaimed loud enough to earn a reprimand from inside the carrier.

"He was hiding behind the planters this morning when I got here. My sister works for a vet and brought me this carrier."

"And he just let you pick him up?" Natsu cautiously poked a finger beyond the wires of the door and let the cat sniff him.

"Well, I had to bribe him with my breakfast but he seems like a friendly guy."

Natsu settled onto the ground and continued to stare at the cat. "What are you gonna do with him?"

"I ha –" Jellal was interrupted by the office door swinging open. Erza leaned against the frame in equal parts relief and frustration.

"Natsu," she said firmly. "You have got to let me know where you're going. This is not okay."

"Erza!" Natsu shouted. "Jeral caught my cat for me!"

"It's Jellal..."

Erza sighed and sat in the chair beside the carrier. "Natsu, we can't have a cat. I'm sorry but –"

"Actually," Jellal interjected. "I was going to take him home with me. I have a one cat already who's in need of some fresh company. Lily is kinda old but I think he's lonely."

Natsu wrinkled his nose. "You got a boy cat named _Lily?_ "

"It's just a nickname. Pantherlily is a mouthful sometimes."

 _"Can I come see him too?"_ Natsu spouted quickly.

"Uh... Natsu you can't just invite yourself like that..." Erza said nervously. Her face was quickly reddening.

"You can both come," Jellal said softly looking at Erza over the carrier. "If you want to, of course. I'd like it very much if you did."

Erza's lips curved into a smile. "Please tell me you didn't adopt a stray cat just to ask me out. It wasn't necessary."

"I'd have taken him home anyway. Lily really does need the company but making your brother happy – and perhaps shaving off some of the time you spend looking for him as he chases strays – is a nice bonus."

"You've got a big heart, Jellal. Does this count as an official date then? My little brother pestering your cats and dinner in?"

"I'd like to think so."

Natsu broke the spell of the moment with a too-loud proclamation. "I'm naming him Happy! He seems happy and now I'm happy."

"Happy it is, then," Jellal said still smiling at a very red Erza.


	17. Klexos

_**"Anonymous asked: Hi! I love your writing so much! You write Erza and Jellal so well! Could I please request 'I know we hate each other but it's christmas eve and your flight was cancelled so please come inside AU' [The prompt is by isabellelightword.]"**_

 _ **I've embellished this prompt quite a bit because I don't do well with baseless fantasy. I needed a reason for there to be conflict between Jellal and Erza. I also am the absolute worst with titles and this particular one came from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.**_

 _ **Klexos: The art of dwelling on the past**_

* * *

 **Klexos**

* * *

On the morning of Christmas Eve, Erza woke to a yard full of snow. Not just the forecasted snow but an extra foot of it. According to the television all of Magnolia was covered in an unprecedented blanket of white. Many neighborhood roads were blocked, trains were stuck at the stations until tracks could be safely cleared, and all air travel was on indefinite hold. A meteorologist who spoke far too enthusiastically for the situation promised even more snow for the afternoon and following holiday.

Erza didn't mind the cold or snow. What she _did_ mind was hauling in firewood from the rack that had been foolishly placed at the edge of her property instead of her near the door. She made two trips and managed enough wood to last until dark. Another run would need to be made before then, but the stack beside her fireplace would do for now. The electrical grid on her street was known to fail in extreme weather. Better to be safe than sorry.

The morning passed peacefully and Erza enjoyed her time alone. Most often her holidays were spent with the Strauss family – which was always a loud affair – but this year her friends had opted for a tropical locale. The past year had been stressful and she'd looked forward to the quiet solitude.

From the front window Erza watched snow plows roll by twice. The spray of white re-covered her dusted fence posts and buried her friend, and neighbor's, fence even further. Lucy had been away for a week now and Erza chuckled at the thought of Natsu shoveling her snow. The previous year he'd played a nasty joke on Lucy that involved a winding maze from her front door to the driveway. Many four letter words were said that day and under the threat of a lock-out Natsu dug her a shorter path.

A taxi pulled to a stop in front of Lucy's house and a figure hefting a green rucksack emerged. Erza frowned. She'd recognize that hair anywhere – even if it was cut much closer than it ever used to be. In a deflective tactic, Erza found herself more annoyed with the fact that he hadn't worn a hat rather than his actual presence. She watched the man dig around in the flower boxes under Lucy's potted plants before turning back to face the empty curb. He kicked the layer of snow from the top step and sank down onto it somewhat dejectedly.

Didn't he know Lucy was out of town? Why was he even here? And most importantly, _why did she care?_

The man tightened the coat around his body and hid his face in his knees. Erza closed her eyes and sighed loudly. It would probably be a good idea to leave well enough alone – he couldn't possibly know she still lived across the street from Lucy – but the sight of him on the porch and shivering tugged at her heart. She grabbed her own coat with an unnecessary force and shoved her arms through the sleeves. Her socks bunched while putting on boots but her irritation was such that it didn't matter.

With a firm scowl, Erza marched across her yard, and the freshly plowed street. She stayed on the man's previous trail through the grass and stopped on the bottom step. He finally looked up and stared at her. His shock seemed to equal her own.

"Erza!" He glanced around the otherwise empty street. "I was just –"

"Lucy's not home. She won't be back until the new year," Erza interrupted. He deflated and gazed up at the sky still thick with snow clouds.

"Of course. I don't know why I expected anything different after a day like today," he muttered.

"What are you here, Jellal?" she asked in a softer tone. "I thought you were off doing whatever soldiers do."

"Only for another year," he said with half a grin.

"Didn't Lucy tell you she wouldn't be here for Christmas?" Erza looked away from him. His bag was much safer than his smile.

"She didn't know I'd be around. My layover in Magnolia was only meant to be for three hours but the snow brought everything to a crashing halt. I'm stuck here until the airport reopens."

"And you didn't think to call first?"

"Phone's dead."

Erza glanced up at him and shook her head. "No charger?"

"I left it on the first plane." He smirked again. "In my defense I've been awake for two days and can barely remember my own name."

"I can call you another cab to take you to a hotel –"

"Nah, they're not running anymore. I was the last guy in line. The snow's supposed to fall again soon, I hear." He kicked a wet clump from the step below him. "Doesn't matter anyway. Everything's full for Christmas."

"What are you going to do? You can't just sleep on this porch! You'll freeze to death!" Erza already knew the solution but she hoped – _desperately hoped_ – he had another plan up his sleeve.

"Well," Jellal began in the same childish tone he used to take when a half-baked suggestion was on its way. At least _that_ hadn't changed in the last five years. "I'm about an inch away from breaking a window."

Erza's fists balled in her coat pocket. She pursed her lips and turned on her heel abruptly.

"It was nice seeing you again!" he called after with a chuckle.

"Don't be ridiculous," she said over her shoulder. "You're coming with me now. No one is breaking any windows." She didn't check to make sure he was following her. Of course he would. The only other option would possibly land him in jail for breaking and entering.

The blast of warm air that hit her face when she opened her front door didn't calm her as it usually did. Instead, her anxiety hit a new high. Jellal was in town. _And in her house._ Things she'd never wanted to look at again were unearthing themselves already.

Erza headed straight for the kitchen after abandoning her coat and boots in the mud room. She filled a kettle and tried to clear her mind. Jellal and everything that went along with him had been a tightly wrapped box in an unopened closet in her mind since he'd left. The way her heart pounded felt like a betrayal. How easily she'd been drawn back in, and all from a half-grin. _Disgraceful._

"I don't want to be a bother, Erza." His voice behind her was startling. She realized she'd never turned the burner on and blushed furiously even though he probably hadn't noticed the flub at all.

"It's not a bother to save you from a cold injury or breaking into your cousin's house," Erza muttered. "Are you hungry? I made a roast earlier and it should be edible."

"Edible?" He laughed and every inch of Erza's skin prickled at the sound.

"Well, I followed the recipe so it should be fine." She finally turned around and instantly wished she hadn't – even though it would've been impossible to have the man in her home without looking at him. The tattoo on his face wasn't unfamiliar but there was a new design peeking out of his collar. The twisting lines snaked up the side of his neck. Everything about him seemed... _bigger._ Of course no one would ever look as they did at seventeen forever. Five years in the military had certainly added to his appeal. Jellal had always been obnoxiously good looking.

"I trust you."

Erza's eyes bounced all over the kitchen but his face. "I'll show you the guest room," she muttered. The words she'd really wanted to say stung her throat.

Jellal followed her through the hallways she knew he didn't need to be shown. He'd been in the house probably hundreds of times when they were kids but the formality was the only thing keeping her from either bursting into tears or spouting all manner of regrettable things.

"You can stay in here."

"Erza –"

"You'll want to turn on the radiator at least an hour before you go to sleep or you'll be shivering until midnight," she went on as if she hadn't heard his voice.

"Erza –"

"There's towels in the hall closet. You can shower whenever. I need to –"

"Erza, _please._ " His fingers grazed her elbow and her teeth sank into her bottom lip. She turned around and found herself against the door frame opposite him. Jellal gazed down at her with none of his earlier humor. "I've always wondered if you'd forgiven me for leaving. I guess I have my answer."

His face fell into something she could only classify as sad. It broke her heart to be the source of such despair. He released her elbow and hid his hands in his pockets.

"Did you fix what was broken?" she asked before she could stop herself. Jellal frowned and his eyes fell to his feet.

"No," he said simply. "I was just as angry and a hell of a lot more lonely."

"I see."

"Erza –" The oven timer began to beep steadily and Erza slipped past him in the doorway as quickly as possible.

"That's dinner," she whispered.

* * *

Jellal proclaimed the roast was more than just edible, and Erza's blush at his praise wouldn't go away. She'd never been good in the kitchen and she thought maybe commissary food had taken a toll on his taste buds.

When the snow started falling again he brought in more firewood without prompting and filled the nook beside the fireplace. She watched him stack the logs and coax the fire into something that would last until late in the night. A part of her – a much bigger part than she wanted to admit – was disappointed he took a seat in the reclining chair instead of joining her on the sofa. They'd never dated but she missed the closeness of their old friendship. Erza sighed and leaned her head against the cushioned arm.

The fire was warm and the Christmas tree twinkled in the corner. She'd been anticipating a holiday alone but now that company had arrived she felt an unexpected emptiness.

"I _did_ forgive you," Erza said quietly. "I even understood why you left. I think I was just frustrated with myself for not being able to follow."

"You couldn't have followed me, Erza."

"I don't mean into the military. Just away from _here._ This town." She sighed and turned on the sofa to face him. "I wanted to be someone else. I was jealous that you could do that and not me."

"I was never anyone else," he muttered. "I was still me. Just angry and sad. I still don't understand why Simon did what he did. For a long time I thought maybe it should've been me that took the bullet instead. Or maybe if I hadn't stopped at that particular gas station at all he'd still be alive. Or maybe if you and I hadn't argued about candy in the store for so long he wouldn't have come looking for us. All of that insecurity and regret was taking over my life."

Erza frowned deeply and opened her mouth to interrupt but he shook his head.

"I realized eventually that I had to let it go or it would drive me crazy. I wanted to write you or to call or something." He stared into the fire. "I missed you."

"You should've. I missed you too." Erza watched him and picked at the fuzz on her thick socks. When he smiled it felt like fresh air in the room.

"Do you remember that time Natsu dug all those flowers out of your grandma's garden for Lucy?"

Erza giggled at the memory. "Yes! They still had roots attached and dirt was everywhere. He's still a total mess but she loves him. It's so obvious."

"The next day Simon brought you all those perfectly trimmed red roses. He'd cut all the thorns off for you and presented them like the gentleman I always wanted to be." Jellal sighed and leaned back in the chair. "I was so jealous."

"Why? Roses have never been my favorite. You know that."

Jellal laughed softly. "Because I had such a crush on you back then. Simon was always trying to get your attention with grand gestures like roses and strawberry teacakes."

"Are tea cakes grand gestures in your world, Jellal?" she asked with a small smile. "I never knew you liked me that way."

"Well, they felt like grand gestures back then." He sighed. "I thought about saying something a couple of times but I couldn't quite wrap my brain around the possible rejection. I needed you too much as my best friend."

"If you'd said something to me, and we went out, would you still have left after Simon was killed?" Erza stared him down and to his credit he didn't look away. "Because that's when I needed _my_ best friend, too. I needed you, and you left."

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Erza tugged at the end of her braid frustratedly. "No, _I'm_ sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"I deserved it."

"No, you didn't. The guy who tried to rob a convenient store unexpectedly crowded with high school students is the only one responsible for Simon's death. I said I forgave you and I have." She stood from the couch and tossed the braid back over her shoulder. "I think I'm going to bed. You can stay with me as long as you need to." Erza paused before leaving him alone with the dying fire. "Merry Christmas, Jellal. I really _am_ happy to see you're okay now. And, for the record, I wouldn't have rejected you."

* * *

Jellal's confession rattled around in her head like marbles. She'd stuffed her feelings for him under her pillow all throughout high school and pretended they were perfectly harmless, friendly thoughts. To hear that he'd been thinking of her in the same way but for a _much_ longer time... Erza couldn't just go to sleep after that.

The last five years felt like a waste. The fact that he was sleeping down the hallway with still so many things unsaid between the two of them felt like an even bigger waste.

Erza stared at the ceiling and finally gave up. She threw the blankets aside and padded down the hallway to the kitchen. Warm milk had never been a favorite but there _was_ a vast assortment of tea in her pantry. She froze mid-step as she rounded the corner of the dining room. Jellal stood in front of the picture frame window watching the snow continue to pile. The room was dark except for the moonlight. He turned and grimaced.

"I couldn't sleep," he said.

"Me neither," Erza whispered. She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. Jellal finally smiled and took pity on her with a nod of his head and an extended hand. Erza joined him at the window and slid under his arm as if she belonged there.

The moment her body came into contact with his the first domino in a long, twisting line began to fall. Erza turned into his chest. Her arms circled his middle. Jellal's fingers slid through her hair and she could not look away. His thumbs brushed her cheeks and as sudden as the last domino falling and the expectant silence that followed, his lips pressed against hers.

Even though _he'd_ been the one to run away, kissing Jellal felt a lot like coming home.


	18. The Peace of A Saint

_**"Anonymous asked: Jellal falls asleep on Erza's lap. This is the first time Erza has ever seen him so at peace. She decides to enjoy this moment, at least, for a little while longer."**_

 _ **I kinda feel like when the war is over, naps are Jellal's favorite thing to do (besides Erza)**_

* * *

 **The Peace of a Saint**

* * *

The front door swung open suddenly and Erza glanced up from her book. A cloaked figure kicked the door shut behind him before shedding his outerwear. Lightning forked across the sky and the flames in the fireplace jumped accordingly. She watched as he tugged off his boots and disappeared down the hallway. Even though he said nothing, Erza smiled and went back to reading.

When Jellal returned he stretched out over the length of the couch and hid his face in her lap. Erza set aside her book and allowed his arms to wrap around her waist. His hair was damp and smelled of soap. Fatigue radiated from his body. Erza carded through his clean hair with gentle fingers until he sighed deeply.

"Rough day?" she asked. "I didn't expect you until tomorrow morning."

"I'm too old for camping out," he grunted.

"You aren't too old." Erza leaned down to kiss his head. "You've just had enough of it." A loud rapping at the door broke the peacefulness, and she felt Jellal stiffen in her lap when Natsu barged in.

"Lucy locked me out," He said with a whiny huff.

"Don't you have your own house?" Erza asked not looking up from the tufts of blue between her fingers. In any other situation she'd have pummeled Natsu for inviting himself into her house and leaving wet tracks on the floor but Jellal had rubbed off on her with his never ending well of patience.

"Yes, but Lucy isn't _there_."

Jellal's arms tightened around her torso and he pressed his face into her stomach. "Make it go away," he whispered.

"If you've upset her," Erza said with a sharper tone. "There's nothing I can do."

"But _Erza_ –"

 _"Go home, Natsu."_ She glared at him with a ferocity even someone as dense as Natsu could decipher. His shoulders slumped pitifully but he saw himself back out into the rain.

"Lucy is a saint," Jellal murmured.

"Technically, so are _you._ " Erza didn't think he heard her reply, though. His back moved up and down steadily with the breathing pattern of sleep. She adjusted her position on the couch and reached for her book again.

It wasn't the first time he'd fallen asleep on her and she doubted it would be the last. The mild discomfort of his arm against her back was something she'd tolerate. Jellal never looked as peaceful as he did when he slept.


	19. The Long Way Around

_**"Anonymous asked: Erza sprained her ankle and was trying to tough it out. Until Jellal shows up and she is coerced into being carried back to camp. At least, just outside of camp."**_

 _ **Altered ever so slightly at the end. I think it's okay though.**_

* * *

 **The Long Way Around**

* * *

Jellal dodged the fast-moving herd of children and very nearly dropped the crate of chilled juice boxes he had in his arms.

"Jellal!" one of them shouted at him from the edge of the group. "Miss Lucy wants to see you! She said it was important!"

He nodded in response and once the kids had all passed by, sighed deeply. The temperature soared and being outside felt like a punishment. With only a few exceptions, the job of supervising a summer kids' camp had turned out to be unexpectedly grueling. The paycheck and experience on his resume and transcripts couldn't _possibly_ be worth all this.

"You summoned, _Miss_ Lucy?" he asked with a grin. She smirked and took the crate of juice boxes from him.

"Very funny," Lucy said. "I'll run these up to the lodge for you, _and_ owe you a big one if you go back and handle Erza for me."

" _Handle_ Erza?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"She sprained her ankle and is in denial. You know how she is in front of the kids. She's back there," Lucy jerked her head toward the tree line. "Pretending to inspect what she insisted was poison ivy but it's obvious she's hurt."

Jellal glanced over Lucy's shoulder at the trees and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, okay. I'll handle it."

"Thanks, Jellal!" she called back to him as she made her way across the grounds with the crate.

He found Erza pouting and picking at a nest of leaves that were definitely _not_ poison ivy. She'd removed her shoe and the bruising was bad but the swelling could still be curbed with ice – if she cooperated quickly enough to make it to the medical office.

"Well, that doesn't look like poison ivy to _me,_ " Jellal said with a grin. He crouched next to Erza who tried her best to glare but could only manage the same pitiful pout.

"It _could_ be, though," she mumbled. "Did Lucy send you? I told her I was fine."

"Yes, your ankle looks just fabulous. I should just leave you here to crawl back to camp."

Erza blinked in surprise at his reply. "You should," she finally said haughtily.

"I was joking," he chided. Jellal grabbed her hand and stood. He pulled Erza up and caught her when she leaned too hard on her injured foot and fell into his chest. She clutched his shoulders and whimpered. He instantly felt guilty. "I'm sorry I should've been more gentle."

"I should've been more honest," she countered and grimaced up at him. "It actually hurts quite a bit."

"Let's get going then." He leaned down to swoop her up bridal style but was met with resistance.

"No," she whined. "That makes me look pathetic. I'd rather piggy back." Erza paused and bit her lip in consideration. "Please?" He nodded and turned around. Erza grabbed her discarded shoe and climbed on his back. "Thank you."

"You're always welcome Erza," he said with a smile as he hooked his arms around her knees. She planted an intentionally sloppy kiss on his cheek. "You should've kissed me before we left the trees," he mused.

Erza pressed her lips to his ear. "I think we both know why that would've been a bad idea."

"Now, now, keep it PG, Erza. There are children present."

"Can I come to your cabin tonight?" she whispered. "Natsu's group is camping out. You'll be alone, right?"

"With this ankle? Absolutely not. You'd be busted in a heartbeat limping across the grounds like a lurching trespasser." Jellal laughed and Erza huffed into his neck.

"Today sucks," she muttered.

"It could've been worse, though. What if you'd actually fallen into poison ivy?"

 _"I guess."_

"Aw, don't be like that, Erza," he said with a dawning grin. "Lucy actually owes me a favor. Maybe she can switch out with Natsu and _I_ can come see _you_ tonight." He felt Erza smile against his neck.

"I'll wait up." She paused and pulled away slightly.

"What is it?"

"Do you think you could circle around the back of the lodge? I don't want everyone to know I tripped into a hole and lied about poison ivy."

Jellal laughed. "Okay, but I think everyone already knows by now."


	20. It's All in the Wrist (Part One)

_**"super-starofnight asked: The "I had a really weird dream last night and oh my God now I can't stop thinking about how good you'd look naked" prompt I asked you about earlier. I just realised that this had potential for smutty things, so you can choose the rating. Thanks! XD"**_

 _ **I've added a few elements to this not specified in the prompt.**_

* * *

 **It's All in the Wrist - Part One**

* * *

Erza tapped her pencil against the recipe page in irritation. Baking wasn't her forte. _At all._ In fact, the last time she'd attempted cupcakes there'd been a whole lot of smoke and the fire department had been called. She could cook a meal, provided a decent recipe, but baking? Consistent failure all around. Erza's frustration grew as her classmates filed into the room steadily.

"One would think," said a voice behind her. "That you picked this station because you're hiding."

Her skin prickled with annoyance and Erza turned her head just enough for him to see her scowling profile.

"But the Scarlet _I_ know would _never_ hide. She faces her problems head on." Jellal deposited his messenger bag onto the work table with a casual air. "Even if those problems are terrifying springform pans."

When she spun around fully he grinned at her angry expression. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm your partner, Scarlet."

"Impossible." Erza's scowl deepened and her fingers tightened around the pen she still clutched in her hand.

"Nothing's impossible, Scarlet."

"Stop calling me that," she hissed.

"Why? It's your name."

"My _name_ –"

"Erza!" Lucy's voice sliced through the tension. "Oh hey, Jellal, I didn't know you'd be in this class too." Natsu followed Lucy to the neighboring station wordlessly, completely preoccupied with his phone. Jellal – _infuriatingly_ – winked at Erza before directing his attention to Lucy.

"Last minute change. I need a nutrition credit to round out the semester. It was either this class or the condensed version that takes up an entire month of weekends. I don't have time for that."

"I see. Well this won't be so bad." Lucy glanced at Erza and sighed. "Good luck, though."

"Why will I need luck?" He laughed as he tugged the sleeves up and over his forearms.

"Well, handling Erza, I mean. She's a –"

"I don't need _handling!_ " Erza interrupted still glaring at Jellal. "And I don't need a partner, either."

"I can handle anything," Jellal said confidently.

Natsu finally pocketed his phone and sighed loudly. _"Lucy,"_ he whined. "You promised we'd have food in this class. I skipped lunch for this!"

"No, I said there'd be _cooking_. Not a buffet." Lucy's eye twitched and Erza felt no sympathy. Her friend deserved it for taking a swipe at her weakness in the kitchen.

* * *

The words on the page were in her native language but they made little sense.

"What's the difference between a _Tbsp_ and a _tsp?_ " she whispered to herself. Erza huffed and started to flip through the ring of plastic measuring spoons. She settled for the largest size and as she dipped it into a canister in front of her she felt a tug on the braid of hair that hung down her back.

"That's the wrong stuff, Scarlet." Jellal said softly. She could practically hear the grin in his words. Erza flipped her braid from his fingers haughtily.

"I don't know what you mean," she retorted. Jellal leaned in – _much too close_ – and reached across her to spin the canister around.

"This is baking _powder._ You want the baking _soda._ "

"There can't possibly be a big enough difference to matter."

"If we were making a cake, you'd use the powder but for cookies the soda is better." He spouted this knowledge as if it weren't any big deal. She didn't care for the way he'd flustered her physically and made her feel stupid in the same breath.

"Why don't _you_ do all of this then?" she asked snapping the canister closed with more force than necessary.

"Because I'm just the assistant today. I'll handle your grunt work like mixing and laying them out on the sheet."

"That doesn't sound like grunt work to me. It sounds like the easy part," she grumbled flipping the right canister open.

"You won't learn anything if I do all the work." He smiled at her in the most aggravating way and didn't retreat an inch – even though he'd already pointed out her mistake. Jellal's proximity made her feel twitchy and Erza knew her face was flushed.

Once the ingredients were compiled and the egg shells thrown away, Erza jabbed a wooden spoon into the bowl. Jellal tugged on her braid again, invaded her space _even more_ , and pried the spoon from her hands. His grip was warm and firm. She _hated_ that she liked it.

"Go easy on the batter, Scarlet. You don't want to assault it." He slid the bowl away from her and in front of himself – still without moving any further away. She watched the muscles in his forearms flex smoothly under his skin.

 _"What's wrong with balls?"_ Natsu broke through her concentration with a loud complaint.

"You have to smoosh them a little with a fork. My mom does that and they're always just fine," Lucy said with barely concealed irritation.

"No, I saw that dick Gray with a sheet of perfectly round balls on my way back from the bathroom. Our cookies need to be perfect too!" Erza glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Lucy grab Natsu's wrist before he reached into the bowl of cookie batter.

" _Please_ tell me you washed your hands in the bathroom!"

Natsu snorted. " _Of course I did!_ I'm not as gross as Jellal over there flirting with Erza." He pulled his wrist free and grabbed a handful of lumpy batter. "I'm going to barf all over our station if he keeps it up."

Erza whipped her head back around and saw that Jellal had already spaced out the lumps of batter on a stainless steel baking sheet. She was sad she'd missed out on the rest of the stirring but mentally chastised herself for feeling that way at all.

She was _not_ attracted to him.

* * *

 _The shower steam rolled from under the bathroom door in tendrils. They beckoned to her from the end of the hallway. Her hand closed around the warmed doorknob. Steam curled around her and filled her lungs with hot, thick air. The sound of water pelting the tiles echoed and Erza could see the form of someone just beyond the translucent plastic curtain._

 _She crossed the bathroom quickly and pulled back the curtain. Water droplets sluiced over a muscled back down to a perfectly shaped ass. His thighs were possibly the most... without warning he turned around. The tattoo on Jellal's face was absolutely unmistakable. He grinned at her and somehow she didn't find it as irritating as she should. Erza's eyes didn't ask for permission before sliding down his chest to the trail of..._

 _"Eyes up here, Scarlet," he said suddenly. His voice was as slick in her ears as the steam on her skin. She obeyed and focused instead on his ridiculously arrogant grin._

 _Questions clunked around in her head but she couldn't focus on them. Erza's hands, much like her traitorous eyes, acted on their own and slid her..._ bathrobe? _over her shoulders. She stepped into the spray and didn't bother to conceal her squeal of excited pleasure when his hard body pressed her into the shower wall. His grip was warm and firm as he grasped her thigh and hitched it around his waist._

Erza shot up in bed gasping for breath. She was hot and sweating and tangled in her damp sheets. Her heart raced uncontrollably. A frustrated groan escaped her throat.

 _"Really?"_ she berated herself. "Why him?" Unresolved tension curled low in her belly and she realized there was a very definite _problem_ that would have to be taken care of before her last class with Jellal. She fell back into the sheets, squeezed her eyes shut, reached between her legs, and tried to conjure up any fantasy except the one from her dream.

Her stubbornness betrayed her and Erza ran out of time when her alarm screeched. She'd have to face Jellal and pretend she hadn't had a vivid _almost_ sex dream about him, and then wasted the rest of her morning trying to get off to literally _anything_ else.

 _Great._

* * *

He tugged on her braid again and Erza fumbled the flour sifter.

"You're jumpy today," he said teasingly. Did he have to stand so _close?_ "And distracted. That's too much flour." Jellal pulled the sifter from her hand and remeasured everything. She scowled and tried to keep her eyes on his hands.

Even _that_ was a mistake. Dream or not, her brain had been incredibly accurate. The hands currently sifting cake flour could definitely grasp her thighs with enough strength to handle sex in the shower. Erza sighed frustratedly and snatched the egg container from the other side of the table.

"You'll want to add those last," Jellal warned. "Always dry ingredients first. Things can get gooey of you add them out of order."

Erza shoved aside the eggs and frowned at him. "How do you know all this?"

"I just do," he glanced over at her and smiled before playfully tugging on her braid in a way that was becoming obnoxiously familiar. "Maybe if you were nicer to me, I'd tell you."

"If you do that again, I'm going to slap you."

He suddenly leaned even closed to her. "Do you promise?" he asked in a low voice. Erza gaped and Jellal chuckled. He nodded to the plastic crate of strawberries. "You can slice those if you want. We'll need them for layering and garnish."

"Right," she breathed trying to ignore the way his arm brushed hers. "I can do that." Somewhere in the back of her mind Erza knew she could just step away from him and achieve space but she couldn't quite bring herself to do it. Frustration aside, he was rather good in the kitchen and if she wanted the class credit she'd need to pay attention. Proximity was unavoidable.

With thoughts everywhere but on the slicing, Erza yelped when the tip of the paring knife sliced into the tip of her finger. A drop of blood welled up and all Erza could do was stare. Jellal's hands took hers and he set aside the knife. He examined her finger closely and Erza's heart began to race. With a salacious grin – and before she could think to protest – Jellal raised her hand to his mouth and pressed her finger inside against his tongue.

Erza's face burned. His eyes pinned her to the floor and she didn't even consider moving. He sucked on her finger until a click from behind them broke the tension. Natsu laughed and poked away at the screen of his phone. He was still cackling when he held up the face of it for them to see. He'd tweeted the photo of Jellal with a very red Erza's finger in his mouth. The hashtags #SoGross #GetARoom were at the bottom. She snatched her finger back and clutched her hand against her chest.

"I'm going to the bathroom," she announced too loudly before fleeing the classroom.

* * *

When Erza finally returned the room was all but empty. Only two other stations were manned and one of the groups was nearly finished icing their cake. Jellal leaned against the side of the countertop aimlessly flipping through the pages of another recipe book. She approached and cleared her throat.

"You made it back without bleeding to death," he exclaimed with a hint of the familiar grin. "I made Natsu delete that tweet by the way."

"Thanks," Erza muttered. She glanced over their work station. It was spotless. "What happened to the cake?"

Jellal shrugged. "I turned it in. We'll pass as a team for the semester as long as you pay attention but the final exam will be individual."

Erza sighed and perched on one of the stools across from Jellal. She picked apart her braid and tossed the mass of hair over her shoulder.

"I don't know what possessed me to take this class. I thought maybe it would be easy, I guess." She grimaced at him. "Lucy was right. I _do_ need a handler."

"No, you just need some self confidence."

"It's hard to have confidence when I know this isn't something I'll ever be successful doing. I could show up for this class every time and still flunk out."

"I would never let that happen to you, Scarlet." He grabbed the strap of her bag and dragged it across the work table. Her phone stuck out of the front pocket and he slid his finger across the glass face. "You really should have a password."

Erza blushed and tucked her hands between her thighs. Baking wasn't her only weakness. Figuring out her new phone was still on the to-do list. She watched Jellal send himself a text message and then reply on his own phone. When he tucked hers back in the front pocket he held out the strap of her bag.

"Come by tonight. Use the side door. I texted you the address."

"Uh... _what?_ "

"Let me help you. Just trust me." Jellal tugged gently on a strand of hair before leaving her alone in the classroom.

* * *

Twice, she considered not showing up at all but she really _did_ need as much help as she could get. Her GPS said the location was a business but it was located on the edge of an older neighborhood. Swallowing her trepidation and pride Erza hopped on a bus just after dinner.

The neighborhood may have been old, but it still clung to stately pride. Every house on the block was almost castle-like compared to where she lived. There was a curling iron sign in front of a massive brick house with the words _Pasteleria Fernandes_ etched and painted in gold. The front lights were dim and Erza almost turned back around to leave before remembering Jellal had told her to use the side door. She raised her hand to knock but the door swung open on it's own.

A smallish woman smiled and waved her inside. Erza hesitated. The woman shook her head and took Erza's wrist. Her fingers were slightly curled with arthritis but her grip was firm. Erza followed her through a room filled with now empty racks and into a brightly lit kitchen. Jellal was bent over a row of cupcakes. He expertly applied a fat swirl of icing to the tops of each one at astonishing speed.

"Jellal," the woman said just loud enough to be heard. She pressed her hand against Erza's back and moved to exit the kitchen when he finally looked up.

"Oh!" He set aside the pastry bag and wiped his hands on the apron around his middle. "I didn't think you'd actually show up, Scarlet." His smile set Erza's cheeks aflame.

"So this is why you run circles around me in class?" she asked timidly. For a split second she thought Jellal's face flushed pink but the familiar grin returned quickly.

"You could say pastry is in my blood. I've been working under my grandmother since I could hold the bag." A voice from the other room called out in Spanish. Erza thought she understood _'goodnight'_ and something about locking up but she was hardly fluent. Jellal motioned for her to wait and disappeared around the corner.

Erza took the opportunity to glance around the kitchen. Despite the old house the appliances and furnishings were fairly new. Jellal's family took their business very seriously it would seem. She was suddenly very curious about him and what was beneath the exterior she'd only found to be annoying for so long.

"Sorry about that," he said re-entering the kitchen. "My grandma is sometimes paranoid about the door locks. It's better if I just check them all in front of her."

"I see." Erza slid the strap of her bag off her shoulder and set it aside.

"I had a good look at the syllabus today while you were tending to your finger. The exam is your choice of pastry or bread."

"Which is easier?" she asked helplessly.

"Honestly? Pastry. Bread requires knowledge of yeast and humidity and –"

Erza held up her hand to stop him. "I believe you. We'll focus on the more direct stuff."

"Cakes and cookies aren't very difficult if you always follow the directions implicitly. Dry before wet, gentle combining and mixing – _not_ aggressive stirring."

"Should I be taking notes?" she asked with an unexpected flirtatious lilt to her voice.

"No, I think you can get it easily. We'll start small."

Jellal was a patient teacher and it was clear he knew exactly what he was talking about when he explained the differences between baking soda and baking powder, cake flour and bread flour, and why sifting was important. She had to admit that he wasn't at all the person she thought he was. When in his element Jellal was softer spoken yet still just as confident.

Erza mixed the cake batter thoughtfully with a spatula and startled when Jellal's hand closed over hers.

"That's good enough. Too much mixing and it'll change the texture of the cake." He didn't remove his hand right away and Erza couldn't bring herself to push him away.

When the cake pans were in the oven he walked her through the steps of making icing. She struggled with the whisking and splattered her apron with milk and sugar. Jellal grinned and positioned himself behind her. He changed the grip she had on the whisk handle and – much more efficiently – beat the mixture.

"It's all in the wrist," he whispered in her ear. Erza's skin prickled and she bit her lip harshly when images of her dream came rushing back. He felt just as solid behind her in reality as he had in front of her in fantasy. Jellal chuckled and pushed the bowl of icing aside. "Do I make you nervous?"

"Uh, no," she tried to laugh it off but it came out too shakily to be casual. Erza turned around and faced him. He gazed down at her with the same smile that not a handful of days before would've irritated her.

"You're trembling."

"I'm not trembling," she protested. He suddenly reached up to pull a stand of hair from her ponytail over her shoulder.

"Do you know why I call you Scarlet all the time?" Erza simply shook her head. "I kind of have a lot of feelings about your hair."

"You have a crush on my hair?" she asked with a smirk. "I'm not sure if I'm flattered or insulted you only like my hair."

"I never said it was just your hair, Erza."

A slow smile spread across her face. "This is the first time you've called me that."

Jellal released her ponytail and his fingers brushed over her neck angling her chin upwards. "So it is."

When he kissed her Erza forgot about the cake. She forgot about the icing, and the class, and Natsu's tweet, and every single annoying thing Jellal had ever done. Her hands tightened in the sugar dusted fabric of his t-shirt and held him firmly against her. The edge of the work table dug into her back but that seemed utterly irrelevant.

Jellal's fingers loosened the knot of her apron and he tossed it elsewhere. His hands settled on her waist and as if he'd been able to read every one of her thoughts he effortlessly lifted her to the tabletop, moved between her knees, and pulled her smoothly against him. She couldn't stop the whimper that escaped her lips when his tongue flicked out and into her mouth.

A rude buzzing sound dragged her back down from the clouds. The oven timer had reached zero and the kitchen now smelled deliciously of chocolate cake. Jellal pressed one last searing kiss to the corner of her mouth before pulling away to retrieve the pans from the oven.

Erza slid off the table surface and straightened her shirt. She'd almost forgotten they were in his family's kitchen and completely vulnerable to interruption. Jellal placed the hot pans on the work table and popped the cake rounds out onto a rack.

"See how easy that was?" he asked turning back to her. "You can ace your exam no problem with some practice."

"How much is _'some practice'?_ " she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Jellal reached for her waist and Erza let him pull her against him. "I'd say a _lot_ of practice."

Erza leaned up and spoke softly in his ear. "Maybe we should take Natsu's advice and get a room."

"Before the first date?" He said with faux shock. "I'm scandalized."

"You are not." She smiled when he stole a quick kiss.

"You're right. I'm not." He sighed dramatically. "But my grandma will be furious if we leave this kitchen a mess."

"Well, we can't have that." Erza stacked and iced the cake while Jellal cleaned the pans and utensils. She watched his arms disappear into the soapy dish water and wondered how long it would take before she found out exactly how he looked in the shower.


	21. It's All in the Wrist (Part Two)

_**"Anonymous asked: Would it be bad to request a part two of 'Its all in the wrist'? like the next day at school or something along those lines?"**_

 _ **I hadn't actually planned on this particular installment having more than one part but alas. The public has their demands!**_

* * *

 **It's All in the Wrist - Part Two/Conclusion**

* * *

Erza stepped down from the bus and missed the curb entirely. Rain water splashed around her ankles and the bottom hem of her knee-length skirt was suddenly wet all over again. Her foot slid on the plastic sole of her flip-flops and she grabbed the pole of the stop sign for balance. A steady mist of rain droplets coated her hair – that was still damp from her very rushed, very _cold_ shower – and soaked through her shirt.

A crack of thunder snapped her to attention and Erza raced as quickly as possible in her slippery, wet sandals to the stone loggia that lined the front of the university building. She pulled her bag open and dug around for the jacket she realized had been forgotten on the back of her couch.

"Great," she muttered frustratedly. "Just perfect." Now she'd be wet _and_ cold.

"Scarlet?"

Erza froze. _No, no, no!_ She didn't want Jellal to see her in such a messy state... they'd only been dating for two weeks! It was too soon for the drowned cat look! It wasn't fair. A warm hand settled on her shoulder and she spun around.

"Jellal! I, uh –" Thunder crashed again and she jumped, clutching her bag to her chest.

"You rode the bus like this? You're soaking wet." He took her by the arm and led her to the nearest bench. "Here, let me help you." Jellal relieved her of her school bag and wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. It smelled like him and she couldn't help sighing.

"Thank you," Erza said with a pitiful smile. She pulled the jacket tighter around her and tried to regain the composure she knew had also been left at home.

"Are you okay? I've never seen you so –"

"Messy?" she offered.

"I was going to say _out of sorts_ ," he said with a small grin. Jellal pulled the mass of wet hair from the collar of his jacket and pulled her into his side. She still wasn't quite used to his displays of affection. He was never overt or smothering but everything he did – even the playful tugs on her hair when she made a mistake in the one class they shared – was now laced with a something that turned her insides to a squishy ball of marshmallow fluff.

"It's just been one of those terrible mornings where nothing goes right. I should've stayed in bed."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Erza hid her face in his shoulder. She didn't like dumping on people and she would probably scare him with all of her personal baggage. "Well..." He pressed his lips to her temple encouragingly. Maybe just an overview would suffice? "I woke up late because of the road construction they're doing at night on my street, the hot water has been out since yesterday – my landlord is on vacation – and I didn't realize it was raining until the last minute. By that time I was about to miss my bus and forgot my jacket."

"That's quite a morning, Scarlet."

"Yeah," she sighed again and stifled a yawn. "But it's almost Friday so that's something at least."

Jellal laughed and tugged on the tangled strands of wet hair. " _Today's_ Friday."

 _"What?"_ Erza groaned in embarrassment.

"Is that so bad?"

"If today is Friday then I didn't even need to be here until this afternoon!"

He suddenly stood and held out his hand. "Alright, come on. Let's go."

"What? Don't you have classes today?"

"Yeah, but they're not important."

She took his hand and stared up at him in confusion when he pulled her hair over her shoulder and covered her head with the jacket hood. "I don't understand."

"I'm taking you home for better clothes and you can shower at my house. I can't stand seeing you so upset."

"But –"

"There's no sense in arguing with me, Scarlet," he said with finality. "I don't care about missing a couple of classes. Have you eaten?"

Erza huffed with a false bravado but instantly deflated. "No."

Jellal zipped up the jacket and shouldered her bag as well as his own. "Let's get going then. My grandma's sweet bread never lasts long."

* * *

Erza desperately tried to keep up with the conversation between Jellal and his grandmother but failed miserably. She decided if she was going to continue to date him, and see his family that was obviously important to him regularly, she'd need to learn Spanish. The elderly woman had only kind smiles and soft words for Erza, but Jellal clearly took a verbal lashing for missing classes. She shooed them out of her kitchen with warm buns wrapped in parchment paper.

"This is the best thing I've ever tasted," Erza exclaimed around a mouthful of bread. She perched on the edge of Jellal's bed and finished off the bun. "I don't think I'll ever be able to create something like that."

"My grandma has a lifetime of experience," he said with a laugh. "She'd be insulted if I even _tried_ to outdo her."

"Have you?"

"I wouldn't dare." He winked and piled her clean clothes on the bathroom counter along with a fluffy towel. "The cooking class doesn't start until three so we have about four hours before we have to leave."

Erza licked the remaining sugar glaze from her fingers and tossed the crumpled parchment paper away. "I really appreciate this, Jellal."

He reached out for her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. "What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you walk around all day in wet clothes and flip flops?"

"Maybe you could do me one more favor?" she asked coyly before turning toward the bathroom. Jellal's eyebrows shot up when Erza pulled her dress over her head and left it on the floor in a damp heap. He didn't wait for her to say exactly what the favor was before leaving behind his own trail of clothes.

The hot water felt much better against her back than the cold spray she'd suffered through earlier that morning. To her surprise, Jellal didn't immediately pin her against the wall as he did in her dream. He seemed to be thoroughly engaged in washing her hair. The way his fingers worked against her scalp coaxed a moan from her lips. Erza leaned back against him and closed her eyes.

"Have I mentioned how drunk I am on your hair?" he whispered in her ear.

"You have," she said with a languorous sigh. "I hope you're okay with washing it from now on because a girl could get used to this."

Jellal rinsed the remainder of conditioner from her hair and kissed her naked shoulder. "It would be my pleasure."

Erza turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He kissed her lazily but not without a certain degree of urgency. His hands slid from her shoulders down over her breasts and settled on her waist. She grinned when her back finally pressed against the tile wall.

"How long did you say your landlord will be on vacation?" he asked ghosting his lips over the column of her neck. His thumb drew slow, maddening circles just below her navel.

"Uh, Tuesday is what he said," she breathed digging her nails into his shoulder.

"Maybe you should stay with me until then," Jellal said just loud enough for her to hear him over the rushing water. His fingers finally dipped between her legs and Erza's lips parted in a gasp.

"I –"

"No pressure or anything." His teeth grazed her neck just before he settled into a forceful, open mouthed kiss, and slid his fingers inside of her fully.

Erza's eyes fluttered shut and she forgot the conversation entirely. His thumb circled her in the same way as before and pleasure coiled tightly in her belly. Just as she teetered on the edge of release Jellal removed his hand and squeezed her thigh. The tiles were slick with steam and he lifted her easily. She gripped him tightly between her legs and secured her fingers in his hair as he quickly pushed inside.

A deep growl resonated through his chest and Erza smiled against his lips. He held her against the wall with unwavering strength and she didn't feel his muscles tremble at all until his steady rhythm turned erratic. Jellal leaned into her for balance and his thumb returned to finish her off with perfect circles. With a whispered string of curses Jellal tumbled over the edge with her. She kissed the line of his jaw when he winced and pulled out.

"You never answered me," he said panting into her shoulder.

Erza's face flushed. "I may have forgotten the question."

Jellal chuckled and reached over to shut off the water. He studiously blotted her hair dry with a towel before wrapping her in it. "Stay with me until your hot water is fixed. It's only a couple of days and you can stay in the guest room if you want. My grandma won't mind and no one will be home this weekend except for us and my cousin."

"Jellal," she said seriously. "If I stay with you I will most certainly _not_ be sleeping in the guest room."

"Fair enough." He smiled down at her and led her back into the main bedroom. Erza crawled into his bed and under the blankets.

"Can we have a nap before class? I'm wiped."

His answer was to set an alarm on his phone and kiss her forehead just before her eyes slid shut.

* * *

Erza accepted the empanada from Jellal's smiling grandmother with a slight blush. She admonished Jellal with a long string of Spanish and when Erza asked him about it later he simply rolled his eyes and said, "She has too many opinions about my life."

"Does she know about... you know... the shower?"

Jellal laughed and took one hand off the steering wheel to squeeze her thigh. "She probably has a good guess, but that's not why she chewed me out. It's more like she wanted to be sure I wasn't the reason you were so pitiful looking when we arrived."

"I see."

"Don't worry. If she didn't like you, it would be obvious." He smiled over at her and Erza reaffirmed her decision to learn conversational Spanish as soon as possible.

They made it back to the university with enough time to arrive at their kitchen work station before anyone else. Barring any major disasters, Jellal thought they could complete the assignment and cut out early.

"Hey," Natsu called from the station behind them halfway through the class. "What's up with you two?"

Erza turned to glare haughtily at him. "I don't know what you mean."

"You usually fight and stuff and Jellal pulls your hair. Then you get mad and threaten to slap him. What gives?"

Lucy sighed. "Mind your own business, Natsu."

" _Why?_ I'm just asking a question."

"You should listen to your girlfriend," Erza said with a smirk.

Natsu's eyes narrowed as he glanced back and forth between Erza and Jellal several times. "No, there's something different."

"You're about as dense as this bread is going to be if you don't pay attention!" Lucy snapped. "They're obviously dating."

"No, I don't think –"

"Natsu!" Lucy jabbed him in the ribs and finally commanded his attention.

Erza felt a tug on her braid. "If you keep manhandling that dough ball your bread will be dense, too," he said in her ear.

"Uh, right," she said softly turning her back to Natsu. Jellal's arm slid around her shoulders as he continued to whisper instructions in her ear.

Natsu could still be heard whining about how gross they acted even if they _were_ dating. He cut off abruptly when Lucy – assumedly – jabbed him in the ribs once more.


	22. Words Disused and Otherwise

_**"Anonymous asked: can you do a jerza au where erza and jellal met thru a speed dating."**_

 _ **The ridiculously pretentious verbiage in this piece can be blamed almost entirely on thir13enth/ahumanintraining. I will have to take all the blame for the horrible poetry, though. Shame me properly. I deserve it.**_

* * *

 **Words; Disused and Otherwise**

* * *

Despite everything, at the very least, Erza and Mirajane agreed about the dress.

"You look fantastic," Mira said from the edge of Erza's bed.

"Of course I do." Erza shot a glare over her shoulder. "Don't think that how I look negates my internal disgust."

Mirajane rolled her eyes. "Be disgusted all you want but this will be good for you."

"I doubt that very much." Erza sighed and examined her reflection. The black dress had been a perfect find. She hated to waste it on what was to come. Erza sat beside Mira and began to work her feet into the strappy heels.

"You don't think you're moping? Because it's been a year since the implosion with Simon and at this point you're just digging in for the sake of stubbornness."

 _"I'm fine,"_ Erza insisted.

"I beg to differ." Mirajane slid a stack of dogeared paperbacks across the surface of the bed. The books spilled from the stack and fanned out, the top most poking Erza in the thigh. "Is this the height of your evenings now? Bodice rippers?"

"You're too nosy for your own good. Has anyone ever told you that?" Erza muttered.

"Only all the time!" Mira said sweetly.

Erza fell backwards onto the bed. She covered her eyes with her arms and sighed dramatically. "Why am I doing this again?"

"Because," Mira clipped. "You're lonely and I would hate to see you settle for someone less than deserving."

"And you think I'll find this magical man at a speed dating event?"

Mira shrugged and stood. She pulled Erza to her feet and smoothed her rumpled hair. "You never know."

* * *

The lounge was louder than she'd expected. Erza hovered at the edge of a gently churning crowd militantly avoiding eye contact with everyone. She felt a like she was stranded in the middle of a bazaar where the merchants promised love and romance instead of crafts and snake oil.

"Quite a crowd," a voice remarked beside her.

Erza glanced over and when he smiled down at her she immediately looked away. She'd always had an embarrassing tendency to blush when confronted with a certain level of attractiveness. "Yeah, I guess."

"I'm not detecting much enthusiasm." He chuckled and Erza heard the ice cubes clinking in his glass. She wished _she'd_ thought to visit the bar before joining the group.

"This isn't my scene, really." Her finger twisted and tugged on a strand of hair. "I'm here because –" Erza paused and bit her lip. "Well, my friend made me come. I'd rather not be here at all."

"I see."

"Uh –" She realized she'd sounded incredibly aloof and rude. "That's not what I meant to say."

"No?" The man was looking at her again. She could feel it. Her ears burned.

"No. I mean, I _want_ to be here. _I do._ I'm not wasting anyone's time... I hope. I'm here for the same reason everyone else is. I'm just a little skeptical. And it feels rather expository. But I guess this is how people meet now."

"Is it?" The playful tone of his voice irritated her. Erza canted her body toward him finally.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"I would never. I'm just processing your polychotomy." He continued to grin annoyingly and Erza scowled in an attempt to control the rising heat in her cheeks.

"My... _what?_ " She blinked rapidly. "That's not a word."

"Sure it is. A dichotomy only represents a problem with two facets. Polychotomy is much more flexible."

"I know what a dichotomy is."

"This isn't your scene but you're here by choice. You want to meet someone but you feel exposed. You think this is how compatible people meet each other but aren't completely convinced. That's three dichotomies in one."

Erza huffed and shook her head. "That still doesn't make polychotomy a word."

"So says _you_." His easy expression never wavered and Erza pursed her lips. She was spared a reply when a bell tinkled and the crowd quieted.

* * *

Her dismay was mounting. She glanced over her notecards and sighed. The whole evening was beginning to feel like a slow-motion train wreck. None of the men who'd sat across from her sparked the slightest interest. Each block of eight minutes felt like an eternity and Erza was half inclined to just get up and leave. She tapped the notecards on the tabletop and scanned the room absently.

"It's been an hour since I saw you last and you're already despondent," a familiar voice teased. "Have you given up?" Erza's eyes locked on the man across from her. Her mouth turned down. He smiled in the face of her frown. "It looks like I've already made an impression!"

"I suppose I should've expected you to be at this table eventually."

"That's generally how this works."

"Are you a veteran then?"

He laughed and his eyes fell to the tabletop. "No, I just read the website."

Erza flushed again. She'd read the website too. How did she keep managing to fumble her words? "I assume you haven't found your soulmate yet?"

"If I had, would I still be flirting with you? Do you think I'm as rakish as that?"

Erza scowled again. "This is flirting?" she asked dryly.

"Now that's a malagrugrous expression if I've ever seen one."

"A... _what?"_ She shook her head and wasn't sure if she should be offended or not. "Are you going to make up words all night? You're terrible at flirting, by the way."

"I admit polychotomy is somewhat open to interpretation when it comes to validity but I assure you malagrugrous is a word." He rested his chin on his hand. "A little disused perhaps, but still a word."

"You're an infuriating man."

He laughed. "Am I? And here I thought I was charming. I'll be sure to tell my mother she's been wrong all my life."

"Perhaps she's not been exposed to your obnoxious stream of aphorisms the way I have this evening." Erza said haughtily.

His smile stretched across his face and he leaned forward conspiratorially. "Where on earth do you think I learned them?"

Erza snorted in an effort not to laugh.

"You have incredible hair," he said still leaning across the table. "I don't think I've ever met anyone with quite the same shade. It was the first thing I noticed about you."

"Thank you," she stammered. He'd taken what felt like a hard left into outright flirting. "Can I ask about the tattoo on your face?"

"That's level three backstory," he said with a softer tone. "I don't even know your name."

"I don't know _yours_ either."

"I'm Jellal," he said offering his hand across the table.

"Erza." She took his hand and watched breathlessly as he kissed the tips of her fingers without breaking eye contact.

The bell tinkled and startled Erza out of her reverie. Their eight minutes were up.

* * *

Once the crowd cleared, Erza found the lounge to be much more pleasant. The bar was mostly deserted and she was grateful. She had to admit Jellal had ruined her for every other man she'd met over the course of the evening. Once the final bell rang she hadn't been able to locate him again and regretted letting him leave her table without a phone number exchange.

 _Of course_ the one time she met someone who didn't stare into her cleavage all night or try to pique her interest with promises of white picket fences, he disappeared. The whisky sour suited her mood. Heavy on the lemon, easy on the sugar. No ice.

She felt him before she heard him. His breath stirred the downy hairs on her neck and sent an excited chill down her spine.

 _"The words that failed him_

 _Were well planned indeed_

 _But no words did his lover truly need_

 _Only when he quieted did she stay_

 _For him to sit with her in silence and cafun_ _é_ _."_

Erza turned to find him leaning against the bar beside her. He accepted another glass from the bartender and slid onto the stool at her elbow.

"I thought you'd left," she blurted.

"No, I had to take a call. Timezones can be very inconvenient."

"Was that poetry just now?"

"Probably not well known poetry. My grandfather wasn't ever published."

Erza stared at him at a momentary loss. "That word at the end –"

"Is Brazilian Portugese," he finished for her. "It can't be translated into english." He smiled in the same disarming way he had been since they'd met.

"And what does it mean?"

His fingers closed the gap between them and he touched the hair that brushed her bare shoulders. "It means I'd like very much to see you again without an eight minute limit."

Erza smirked. "Your grandfather wrote poetry in Portugese about speed dating?"

"No," he said with a laugh. "But I suppose I deserved that."

"You did."

"I'll tell you what it means on our next date." A million snarky retorts rattled around in Erza's head but she ignored them all. She wanted that second date and depending on his smart mouth, maybe more.


	23. Just Enough

_**"Anonymous asked: can anyone make a friends with benefits jerza au?"**_

 _ **This is the holy trinity of FwB AU. Best friends, with benefits, who are also roommates. Please don't shoot me I got this idea from Reddit.**_

* * *

 **Just Enough**

* * *

Erza glanced over the top of her magazine and across the couch at Jellal who was surfing through all two-hundred of their cable channels at lightning speed. His face was mostly slack except for a subtle purse of his lips and the ever so slight wrinkle of his brow. It was enough to annoy her.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked leveling her eyes back to the magazine pages.

"Nothing," Jellal said tonelessly.

"Then why are you pouting?"

"I'm not _pouting._ "

"You're pouting." Erza lightly kicked him in the side with her foot.

Jellal turned to glare at her. "Why are you hassling me?"

"I'm not." Erza shrugged and turned the page of her magazine. "But it's hard to concentrate when you're over there stewing in frustration and zipping through the channels."

"Am I frustrated or am I pouting?" he asked petulantly.

"They're not mutually exclusive." She glanced back up at him. "Are you still broken up over Ultear?"

"No," Jellal bit out. Erza sighed loudly and pressed her foot into his shoulder. "Okay, okay, Jesus, you're annoying." Jellal shoved her foot away from him. "I wasn't ever broken up over Ultear. We were _both_ aware it wasn't going to last any longer. Trust me, it's for the best."

"Why?"

"It just is."

"I'm trying to help you, Jellal. Stop being a baby."

"I'm not her type."

"I see."

"I don't think _men in general_ are her type."

"So you're sexually frustrated, then?" she offered casually flipping another page in her magazine.

Jellal scowled. "You think you know me _so well._ "

"I don't think. _I know,"_ she retorted smartly.

"Well, I'm _fine._ "

"Uh _huh._ "

"I'm _not_ sexually frustrated."

"Of course not."

"I just need to get out more and stop wasting my evenings being your foot rest."

"Probably." Erza bit her lip and tried not to laugh. She could feel Jellal glaring at her on the other side of her magazine. Picking at him when he was irritated had always been difficult to resist. She cleared her throat. "I'm sure sex with a woman who was actually thinking of _other_ women while going at it with you was just fine." She let him fume in silence for a moment before flattening her magazine against her chest. "There's nothing wrong with sexual frustration. It's easily cured. This is a university town and bars are on every street corner. I'm sure an attractive senior academic like you could bag a freshman no problem."

Jellal grimaced. "I'm not into strange, Erza."

"Well, you're the one with the private bathroom in this apartment." Erza laughed when his grimace deepened. "I'm just saying, Jellal. Stop pouting and take care of your business." She went back to reading.

"How come _you're_ not frustrated? You haven't been with anyone for longer than me."

"Because I can take my own advice."

"What's that mean?"

She smirked dryly at him over the top of the magazine. "What do you _think?_ "

"And that's good enough for you?"

Erza shrugged. "It's fine, I guess. Simon and I had different ideas of what sex should be." She paused and lowered the magazine to her lap. "Or really, what sex _could_ be."

"Explain."

"Hm." Erza pursed her lips and rolled the corner of the magazine pages. "Well, Simon was heavy on what he believed was romantic." She sighed. "It wasn't ever _spontaneous_ or _fun_. I don't miss it."

"Honestly, that sounds terrible."

"It was and I'm not really interested in revisiting it."

"Why is everything so complicated?" Jellal muttered. "Why couldn't we just stay in high school forever? Or better yet, _elementary_ school. You were a lot less nosy back then."

Erza laughed out loud. "Do you even _remember_ elementary school? We couldn't drive or drink or even cook for ourselves. I don't know about you but I'd rather not go back in time to being dependent on parents."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Jellal stared at the television for several long moments. "What about you and me?"

"What _about_ you and me?" Erza asked.

"Well, we could... you know."

She sighed. "Just say what you mean."

"Weren't you bragging a few minutes ago about how well you knew me?"

Erza kicked him in the side a little harder than before. "Tell me."

"I don't know if I _want_ to tell you now. You're pretty violent." He nudged her foot away and stuffed a pillow between them. Erza glared and Jellal laughed. "I just meant _us_. Like we could... hook up or whatever. I won't have to jerk off in my shower and you won't have to... _whatever it is you do_. Everybody wins."

She stared at him for a long moment. "No."

"It was just an idea." Jellal turned the television off and flung the pillow into her her magazine before standing. "I've got a presentation in the morning. Don't forget to start the dishwasher before you go to bed."

"Yeah, yeah," Erza mumbled staring hard into the crumpled pages.

His suggestion wasn't actually that bad, but the possible blow up of a lifelong friendship seemed like a heavy a risk. She and Jellal had been effortlessly living together for almost three years. Sex could ruin everything. On the other hand, it wasn't as if she harbored romantic feelings for him and the idea of Jellal being secretly in love with her was damn near laughable. She'd know by now if he felt that way. He'd always worn his feelings right on his sleeve in plain view.

Erza huffed and left the magazine on the coffee table next to the television remote. She found him in the kitchen gulping the last of his water.

"Okay, let's do it."

Jellal nearly choked. "Excuse me?" he asked wiping his mouth on his sleeve. She gestured between the two of them.

"Let's fuck." Jellal gaped at her in silence. "Oh come on, this was _your_ idea!" Erza stared him down stubbornly. He broke away from her gaze and placed his water glass in the dishwasher. She watched as he pulled a pad of soap from under the sink and clicked the detergent compartment closed. When the whirr of the wash cycle started he finally met her eyes again.

"I should probably shower first –"

Erza shook her head. "I don't care about that. I'm not putting my face near your junk the first time and you'll probably want to shower after anyway."

Jellal's head tilted to the side. "Why after?"

"Because," Erza said with a wicked grin. "I expect a good time, Jellal." She grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward his bedroom. Erza wasted no time and removed her tank top and shorts. Jellal's mouth fell open. She was glad she'd opted for the nicer set of bra and panties that day. He might be the closest friend she had but he didn't need to know how often she mismatched her cotton florals.

"Uh –" He pointed at her panties. "Those are nice. Fancy. Do you always wear that kind of thing?"

"No, lace is itchy sometimes. Especially after a wax."

"A wax?"

"A bikini wax, Jellal. I know you know what that is."

He continued to stare at her underwear. "Right. I just... hadn't thought about you... having one."

"Do you not like that? Are you a bush man or something?"

"No." He finally broke away from the panties, pulled off his own shirt, and let the pants pool around his ankles. His boxers were printed with yellow ducks wearing floaties. She couldn't stop the laughter from bubbling up. "What's so funny?"

"Your boxers," she managed over her giggles. "They're duckies!"

"Not everyone has fancy lingerie like you, Erza. Besides," he huffed. "I haven't done my laundry this week."

Erza tamped down her laughter and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry for making fun of your boxer shorts. They're adorable and you look adorable in them."

"Thank you," Jellal said benevolently with a hint of sarcasm. "So, do we have rules?"

She groaned. "What do you mean _rules?_ I don't want to think about it that hard."

"Okay." He paused. "Do you want me to kiss you first or –" Erza burst into laughter again just before suddenly pushing him into the bed. She crawled over him and straddled his hips.

"If you want to kiss me, you should." Erza planted her palms on his shoulders and leaned down so her nose was pressed to his. "I won't stop you."

Jellal grinned and Erza squealed in surprise when he rolled her over to push her into the mattress. His lips ran along her shoulder, neck, and ear.

"I'm not a bottom, Erza. If you want to ride, you'll have to work for it." His voice in her ear was coarse and Erza sank her teeth into her lip. Without preamble, he tugged her panties down and off. Her fingernails dug into his biceps reflexively. The way Jellal gripped her thigh and slid his fingers over the eagerly slick skin between them made her gasp in anticipation. Erza twisted around to unclasp her bra then pushed his boxer shorts down with her feet.

She half expected him to just slide into home and finish things quickly and efficiently – that was how he handled his studies and housework. In bed, however, Jellal was surprising. His mouth latched to her neck long enough for her to think he was going to leave a mark, and in truth Erza wouldn't've have minded if he _had_ – but he didn't. The sting was glorious all the same. Her breaths were heavy with want as his lips moved away from her neck and down to her breasts. It had been ages since _anyone_ touched her this way and the fact that it was _Jellal_ of all people...

His fingers twitched inside of her suddenly and the palm of his hand began to slowly circle. Erza's breath raced from her lungs. Her hips bucked upward as much as they could under his weight. Jellal's tongue pressed against her nipple before he quickly closed his mouth around the tip. Erza didn't know what to do with her hands but when Jellal's fingers twisted again, and she felt the beginnings of something intense charging at her, she grabbed handfuls of his hair.

"Oh, _god,_ " Erza muttered under her breath. He didn't withdraw his fingers when her orgasm hit and instead continued to press the palm of his hand against her. Jellal released her breast from his mouth with a pop and kissed her with a force. He swallowed her gasps and finally pulled his hand free. Normally, this would be where Simon begged for validation by asking her if he'd done a good job and spewed flowery proclamations of love. Jellal actually laughed against her lips and hitched her leg against his hip.

"I thought maybe you could use a warm up," he said still chuckling.

"Don't get cocky, Jellal." Erza tried to sound stern but her voice cracked. She let her free leg fall open to the mattress and reached down to the now hard bulge between them. Her fingers wrapped around his cock and her thumb swept over the tip of it. Jellal's hips jerked into her hand. Erza guided him down through the wet folds of her skin and drew him into her with the leg around his waist.

Her intention was to seem confident but she hadn't been with anyone in _so long_ and it felt _too good_ for her to do anything other than moan embarrassingly loud when he filled her to the hilt. Jellal's grip on her thigh was still strong when he pulled almost all the way out and thrust back in. His head dropped to her shoulder and he exhaled hot breath that stirred the remains of his saliva on her nipple.

Jellal braced himself on a forearm for leverage. She grasped his bicep again and as he settled into a rhythm Erza realized she didn't need to hold onto him at all. Unlike Simon, Jellal knew how to divide his weight. He didn't lose control and pound her half way across the bed. Everything about him was smooth and calculated right down to his breaths and the flexing of the muscles in his arms. Erza's eyes fluttered closed when he hit a spot inside of her that dragged a strangled groan from her throat.

She wrapped her other leg around his waist and crossed her ankles. Jellal's smiling lips brushed over her shoulder and were soon followed by his teeth. The sensation was exciting and she found her hands in his hair again.

"You're so _responsive,_ " he said breathlessly. "It's... _nice. God_ , Erza," he murmured. His knees slid up past her hips, spreading her legs further apart. He released her thigh and touched her throbbing center once again.

"Holy fuck, I'm not going to last much longer," she gasped in warning. Erza's legs tightened, Jellal's thrusts quickened, and his fingers pressed harder against her.

Her second climax of the night ran her down like a train. Erza couldn't remember the last time she'd had such a mind numbing orgasm. She expected Jellal to collapse on top of her in a mound of sweating flesh but even as he trembled and tried to catch his breath the control that had amazed her earlier remained. He finally pushed off and landed on his back beside her, breathing hard.

"Wow," he said after a long moment. Erza sat up and tried to smooth her hair. Their clothes were still on the floor but her bra wasn't immediately visible. "Don't get a big head or anything but that was probably the best sex of my life."

"Yeah, well," Erza pulled on her panties. "Next time I get to be on top and you'll say _that_ was the best sex of your life, too." Jellal's throaty laugh made her smile as she retrieved the rest of her clothes. "You'll see. This time doesn't count because I haven't had any action for almost a year. I'll show you how it's done, though."

"I'm sure," he said with teasing sarcasm. He tossed her bra in her face as she turned to leave.

* * *

Jellal's hand scrawled messy notes across the notebook page. He'd forgotten his laptop at home that morning, as home had become incredibly _distracting._ All of these notes would have to be rewritten and organized later. He _hated_ redoing work.

"Jellal," Lucy's voice disrupted his chain of thought. He looked up at her – she was glaring.

"What?"

"Your phone has been buzzing every thirty seconds for the last several minutes," she said irritably. "Haven't you noticed?"

"Uh, no," he glanced over at the phone and back to his notes. "I need to finish this before I go home. Unless someone is dying, it can wait."

Lucy smirked at him and stood. "I'm going to refill my water bottle before I leave in a minute."

"Yeah, okay," he mumbled. His phone buzzed again and he grabbed it quickly. There was a reason he didn't care to check his texts in front of Lucy. As expected, several picture messages awaited. Erza had made a habit of sending him pictures of herself in various states of undress when he was running late in the evenings. They always seemed to come through at the worst possible moments... but he couldn't bring himself to make her stop. Ultear never tried to appeal to his tastes, and in the end it was more than clear why she wasn't interested in his efforts either.

Erza piqued his interest and excited him in a way he suspected only someone who knew him as well as she did, ever could. He shamelessly enjoyed the new aspect of their relationship.

"Oh my god!" Lucy exclaimed behind him. Jellal fumbled the phone and it clattered to the floor. _"Jellal!"_ she said in a scandalized whisper.

"I, uh –" He retrieved his phone and struggled to scrape together a believable explanation as to why his roommate and best friend would send him half-naked pictures of herself. "She sometimes mixes up numbers..."

"Bullshit," Lucy said snatching the phone from his hand. She flipped through the images with one raised eyebrow. "Why is Erza sending you sexy pics like this?"

Jellal couldn't meet Lucy's eyes. "Well –"

Lucy leaned forward over the table and showed him a particularly damning photo of Erza in the most ridiculously cliché pose – in his favorite pink lace.

"Are you and Erza _a thing?_ " she asked pinning him down with a stare. Jellal buried his face in his arms.

"Yes," he admitted but instantly corrected. _"No!"_

"Uh, _huh."_ Thankfully, Lucy slid the guilty phone across the table and sat back in her chair. "How long has this been going on?"

Jellal sighed, ran his hands over his face, and finally met her eyes. "A few months now? Maybe three?"

"I had no idea!"

"No one does, really."

"Is it a secret?" She raised her eyebrow at him again.

"We aren't hiding it or anything. It's just... something we do now."

"And you're not worried about all the dangers of dating your best friend whom you also live with?"

"It's not like that," Jellal said with finality. "We _aren't_ dating."

Lucy crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him in the shrewd way that made his skin crawl. He suspected it was the look she used most on Natsu when he said something she knew to be utter nonsense. "I saw you two last Friday at the movie theater, and come to think of it, you don't ever have lunch with anyone _but_ Erza anymore."

"Erza and I do lots of stuff together. It's not a big deal."

"Are you looking for a new girlfriend? Why hasn't she been out with anyone since Simon?"

"No, and I don't know." He didn't care to encourage the conversation Lucy was trying to have.

"So let me get this straight. Erza is your best friend, right?"

"Yes."

"And you live together?"

 _"Yes,"_ he drawled with annoyance.

"You do practically everything together including meals and fun stuff on weekends... _and_ you're fucking? _Exclusively?_ "

"Uh, yes." Jellal cleared his throat awkwardly.

"But you're _not_ dating."

"No. Not dating."

"Explain to me how that's not dating." Lucy's eyes narrowed.

"It's just not. I don't see why this is so complicated."

"It's not complicated, actually. You and Erza are a couple."

"But we're not! It's just a stop-gap until... well, until..."

Lucy shut her laptop and stared him down again. "Until what? Until one or both of you finds someone new? How's that going to go? How will you explain everything she is and has been to you?" Jellal pressed his lips into a thin line. Why couldn't Lucy leave well enough alone? "Let me ask you this, then, Jellal."

 _"What?"_

"When you think about your romantic future, do you even _want_ to be with anyone else? Or have you drawn the line with Erza and don't see past her? You've had a sexual relationship with your lifelong friend for three months. Why is it so important for you to maintain the facade of _not_ dating?"

Jellal scowled. "You're describing it wrong."

"Sure, Jellal," Lucy smiled patronizingly at him and slid her laptop into her bag. "I have a _date_ with my _boyfriend_ tonight. You'd better get home to Erza before your phone catches fire."

She left him staring a hole through the pages of his textbook.

* * *

Erza scrolled through the images of underwear models and dismissed most of them easily. Far too many of the poses were impossible without a photographer. She needed to be able to snap the pictures herself.

At first she'd been a little hesitant about the photos. Simon hadn't ever said so explicitly, but she knew he thought sexting and pictures were trashy. Jellal didn't complain and actually seemed to like them. He preferred her in pink and black – that much was obvious. She didn't like to compare Simon and Jellal, though. Simon was just the most serious, long-term romance she'd ever had and it was hard not to appreciate the differences.

The previous week Jellal had come home late with an arm-load of paper notes and fell into the couch with an exhausted sigh. They ordered in for dinner and after he showered away whatever was bothering him, she'd slithered down the length of his body and gave him a blowjob good enough to write home about. Erza knew it was good because he didn't move afterward except to tug lightly on her hair, roll over to her pillow, and kiss her speechless as his fingers returned the favor. Simon _never_ kissed her after oral sex but Jellal didn't seem bothered at all. His lack of disgust left her feeling more confident about herself.

Erza spun around in front of her floor length mirror. New found bravery aside, her current outfit was questionable. Now that she was home and not in a store with no dressing room, she didn't think the lingerie was appealing at all. Jellal would know if she didn't like it. He seemed just as able to read her moods as easily as she read his.

Scowling at herself, Erza reached around to the complicated set of clasps on her back. How she'd managed to get the mess on to begin with was a mystery.

"Hey, Erza, are y –" Her bedroom door swung wide and Kagura's mouth opened in a truncated screech.

"Kagura! I didn't know you were here!" Eazr stumbled backwards into her bed. She grabbed the top blanket and tried to cover herself with it but couldn't quite manage. The straps of the lingerie were digging into her shoulder blades.

"I knocked! You didn't answer!" Kagura peeked through her fingers in horror. "I thought maybe you were dead or something!"

"I was, um, busy!"

"I can see that." Her friend finally stepped into the room. "What on earth are you doing dressed like _that?_ " Kargura's nose wrinkled as the blanket slipped from Erza's fingers to the floor.

Erza sighed and gestured at the awkward set of strappy lingerie. "It's that bad, huh?"

"You look like you bought that nightmare from a dildo shop in a plastic bag with handles."

"That's harsh."

"It's true, though." Kagura glanced the set over with disapproval. "Has Halloween come early? I'd always assumed you had more taste than this."

"No! It's not a costume. I was just... uh..." Erza tossed the blanket on her bed casually and tried to aim for her phone that was still sitting out. Kagura, however, had eyes like a hawk. She marched across the room and grabbed the phone – her shame complete, Erza didn't even try to stop her.

"Is this your new hobby? Erza, if you needed money that badly why didn't you just ask? There's no need for –"

Erza snatched the phone back. "I'm not a cam girl!"

Kagura crossed her arms and arched her eyebrows. "Then what on earth are you doing in dildo shop lingerie taking pictures of yourself?"

"I was just trying something new. I –" Erza sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. The cat was already half out of the bag. "The pictures were for Jellal." She glanced back over at her friend who was still staring at her in disbelief. Slowly, Kagura's head began to shake back and forth.

"I'm _way_ too gay for this drama," she muttered. Kagura pointed at the hideous mess of straps Erza still wore. "Let's get this off you. I don't think you're allowed to buy your own lingerie anymore. Please let me help you. Friends don't let friends, and all that."

Kagura unhooked the clasps and excused herself while Erza changed into clothes. She didn't think she could return the outfit and opted to simply throw it away.

"So how long have you and Jellal been dating?" Kagura asked as she slid into a restaurant booth across from Erza.

"We aren't dating," Erza argued stirring the ice in her glass with a straw.

"That's funny," Kagura said with a sarcastic laugh, glancing over her menu. "I thought for sure you just said you weren't dating him even though I busted you contemplating the most raunchy hot mess I've ever seen in my life."

"We _aren't,_ " Erza insisted. "We're just having sex now. It's fine."

Kagura carefully closed her menu and folded her hands on the table between them. "Erza, listen. I know you were unhappy with my brother. I know it's been over a year for you now. But you _can't_ just start fucking Jellal."

"For your information," Erza said smugly. "We've been _fucking_ for several months now. It's not a problem."

"It will be, though, when he meets someone else. Or _you_ do."

"I don't see that happening."

"You don't see _what_ happening? A problem with future lovers who will most certainly _not_ understand how best friends can live together, and have sex but not a romance? Or either of you having future partners at all?"

"Why are you making it complicated?"

"I'm just asking questions. Surely the two of you have had this discussion." Kagura continued to penetrate her with that serious expression she was famous for.

"Well, no. It didn't come up."

Kagura's face twisted into a disapproving grimace. "So... _what?_ You guys just decided to get naked one day and do whatever it is straight couples do? Tab A and Slot B?"

"No!" Erza huffed in frustration but then lowered her eyes to fidget with the table cloth. _"...yes."_

"Do you sleep in his bed too? Or is it just touch and go?"

"I don't see why that's –"

"I see. So you're full on sleeping together, then." Kagura interrupted. "Do you have feelings for him?"

"Jellal is my best friend. Of course I have feelings for him," Erza hedged.

"Don't be coy."

"It's just sex, Kagura."

"Sex with your friend that you not only live with but spend most of your time with. That is exactly dating. It's the literal definition of dating." Erza met Kagura's eyes and bit her lip in frustration. "I don't want this to end badly for you. That's all I'm saying. Be careful, and be honest with yourselves."

Erza was grateful when Kagura changed the subject but the words couldn't be _un_ said, and they stuck with her for the remainder of the afternoon.

* * *

The new pink lace lined with black satin ribbons still sat untouched in the box. Gold foil tissue paper was tucked around the lingerie and secured with a glittering sticker. The set was much nicer than what she'd purchased for herself but Erza couldn't bring herself to put it on. Her lunch conversation with Kagura sat heavy in her chest, and she knew a similar discussion with Jellal was on the horizon. There would be no avoiding it.

As difficult as it was to admit, Erza knew Kagura was right. She and Jellal were playing with matches. They'd avoided the important conversations for months, and so far there'd been no problems. Sex only seemed to punctuate the time they spent together. It seemed like such a natural progression and she hadn't thought at all about why that was. The evolution of _just sex_ to _sex then sharing the bed and personal space_ hadn't alarmed her at all. Jellal made her happier than she'd ever been in her life and the thought of him meeting _someone else_ was upsetting. _Very_ upsetting.

Erza jumped when the front door shut. She glanced at the clock and realized she'd been sitting on the edge of her bed staring at tissue paper for more than an hour. It would be better to address the situation as soon as possible. She found him in the kitchen rooting through the refrigerator. Jellal smiled sheepishly and shut the door.

"I forgot to go shopping. It's my turn and I forgot."

"It's fine," Erza said shaking her head. "We can order something."

He leaned against the counter and eyed her closely. "What is it?"

Erza chewed on her lip. "Am I that obvious?"

"You have your Thinking Face on." He smiled and she couldn't help but smile too.

"We need to talk about this."

"About what?"

"You _know_ what, Jellal," she said softly.

Jellal sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I know."

"What are we doing?" Erza asked. "At first it was just something to fill a space but I think we both know that's not what's going on anymore. I had lunch with Kagura today and she did that thing where she points out every white elephant in the room."

"Lucy chewed me out last week," he admitted with a sigh. "And they're both right. I think maybe..." Jellal trailed off and absently picked through the dirty dishes in the sink. She knew it bugged him when she left her tea cups out.

"I know it seems like this is enough for now but –" Erza paused and frowned at the way he poured out the puddles of water she'd left in each cup to keep the tea remnants from sticking. "What about when it's not?"

"How do you know it won't always be enough?" He asked meeting her eyes suddenly. "What if I don't want anyone else?" Jellal's gaze didn't waver. _"Ever."_

"I don't think I want anyone else, either," she whispered. "And I think maybe..." Erza tugged on the end of her ponytail nervously. She'd never had Jellal-related anxiety before and didn't like how it felt. He pushed off the counter and pried the hair from her fingers. He pulled her against him and righted the twisted ponytail.

"You think maybe, what?" he asked quietly in her ear.

"I think I'm in love with you." The words tumbled free and she felt both better and worse at the same time.

"Well, that's a relief." He chuckled and kissed her temple. "I thought maybe you were going to say something horrible like _'Let's have pizza again'_ because that's –"

"You ass." Erza pushed at his chest with feigned annoyance.

"I'm kidding!" He held her tightly and brushed his lips over her ear again. "I love you, too, Erza. I meant it when I said I don't want to be with anyone else. You're all I want."

Finally Erza wrapped her arms around his middle and sighed. The last few hours of stressful worrying fizzled away. She looked up at him and he smiled.

"So Lucy knows, too?" she asked.

"Yeah. She, uh, also saw... well she saw your..." Jellal cleared his throat. _"Amateur photography."_

 _"What?"_ Erza gasped and stepped back. Her face felt red with embarrassment. _"Jellal!"_

"It's not my fault! She was behind me in the library! I didn't even know she was there, I swear."

Erza groaned and tugged on her ponytail again. "I suppose it's just as well. Kagura busted me today in my room with some... stuff I bought."

His eyebrow arched curiously. "Stuff?"

"It was so embarrassing! I don't even know why I bought it. She confirmed every suspicion I had and helped me pick out something else."

"Oh, _great,_ " Jellal whined rolling his eyes. "If _Kagura_ picked it out I'm sure it's something neck high with a million layers."

"No, I think you'll be surprised. It's very nice compared to what she caught me in."

"What did she catch you in?"

"Something she described as _raunchy._ "

"Can I see it?" he asked with a little too much eagerness.

"No! It's in a dumpster outside of a restaurant downtown. I think it's better off there."

"If you say so." Jellal took her wrist and pulled her back into his chest. He brushed the fringe of hair back from her cheek and kissed her. It was the first time he'd kissed her outside of sex and Erza noted it felt just as _right_ as any of the other changes they'd gone through in the last few months.

* * *

Jellal's eyes widened in surprise when Erza roughly shoved him to his back. She'd been talking a big game for months but he hadn't ever expected her to jump him with such force. Erza grinned and dug her nails into his bare chest. The newly acquired lingerie was strewn across the bed and floor – and he had to admit Kagura had excellent taste. He didn't know what kind of state she'd found Erza in earlier that day but he was grateful.

Erza's hips moved in a circular motion and he scolded himself for thwarting her efforts to assert her dominance before. It had been a fun game, though, and being on bottom wasn't so terrible. Especially when her disheveled hair hung in her face and over her breasts. She bit her lip and didn't even try to push it away. He'd never thought her more beautiful.

She arched backwards and steadied herself with hands on his thighs. Jellal didn't want to spoil her fun but he couldn't leave one of his favorite parts of her alone. He sat up and cupped the bottom of one breast with his hand. Erza exhaled in a high-pitched tone he'd never heard before when he took her nipple in his mouth. She grasped at his hair and pushed him back to the mattress again. Her breaths were short and Jellal understood what that meant.

He slid one hand from the swell of her ass to the slick, pink skin where he entered her. It would only take a few swipes of his thumb to get her off but Erza enjoyed the build more than the destination. He drew formless swirls everywhere but where she needed it before finally dipping lower. Jellal felt the fluttering of her muscles around him and grit his teeth in anticipation. He didn't have a problem holding out until she was ready, but the force of her orgasms drove him to mindless ecstasy.

When she collapsed to his chest, her hair stuck to his skin. Jellal didn't mind. If he could wake up to her hair in his face every morning it would be more than he ever thought he wanted. Erza lifted herself and kissed him possessively. Her tongue slid over his and he felt completely intoxicated.

"Well?" she asked still trying to catch her breath.

"Well what?"

"Was that the best sex of your life, or what?" her arrogance made him laugh.

"I guess –" He laughed again when she frowned and tried to slide off him. "I'm kidding! I think maybe you'll have to do it again for me to be sure."

"I'll decide if you deserve it or not."

Jellal leaned up and kissed her pouting bottom lip. She smiled again and settled next to him on the bed. He peeled the sweaty strands of hair from her neck and his shoulder and wondered how he'd somehow managed to take a full eighteen years to fall in love with the best friend he'd met in pre-school. Or maybe it had taken just long enough.


	24. Second Time's the Charm

_**"Namiiswan asked: Person A gets dumped by their no good ex. As an act of revenge, Person A sleeps with Person B, who's a friend of the ex. Weeks later, Person A is shocked to find they're pregnant with Person B's baby."**_

 _ **I made a few adjustments.**_

* * *

 **Second Time's the Charm**

* * *

 _"Erza?"_

She didn't respond and instead waited for him to approach her.

"Erza what are you doing out here?" He paused at the edge of the curb.

"Oh, I'm just enjoying the evening."

"Right," Jellal's eyes strayed to the overflowing trash bin. "There's, uh, a quite a few more trash bags than this morning."

"Yep," Erza said, not elaborating. Jellal might be her neighbor but he was also an acquaintence of Simon's. She heard him sigh and his shoes scraped against the pavement as he squatted down to join her. He was still wearing his uniform, albeit unbuttoned to signify the fact that he was off duty.

"I'd ask if there was something wrong but... I feel like that would be a waste of time. Want me to get in touch with Simon for you?"

Erza looked over at him and drew her knees to her chest. "Simon broke up with me," she said softly.

"Oh." Jellal ran a hand through his hair awkwardly and settled next to her. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you guys were having problems."

"There's been some tension."

"I'm really sorry, Erza."

"It's okay." She peeked at him again and grimaced. "I suppose you think it's tacky of me to throw away all this stuff of his I had at my house? Do you think that's illegal?"

Jellal chuckled and nudged her shoulder with his. "I think it's none of my business."

"You aren't going to ticket me or anything?"

"For what?" He glanced up at the overflowing bin. "All I see here is garbage in bags."

For the first time in a week, Erza genuinely smiled. "Thanks, Officer Fernandes."

"You're welcome, Miss Scarlet." He sat with her in silence until Erza's skin began to itch. She wanted to vent.

"He asked me to marry him last month, did you know that?" Erza blurted. She could feel Jellal's shocked eyes on her. "I said no."

"Damn, I really had no idea! Honestly, I don't talk to Simon that much. We were buddies in college and on Facebook but we aren't very close."

Erza nodded and wrapped her arms around her knees. "He wants a housewife and said he would give me time to figure myself out. He brought it up again last Tuesday at dinner. I told him I still wasn't ready. So he said he wanted out."

"I'm sorry, Erza."

She shrugged. "I think it was inevitable, to be honest. Maybe it's petty of me to say so, but my only regret is that I wish I'd been the one to do the leaving. I had a lot of things I wanted to say but after he told me he was through waiting none of it seemed relevant anymore."

"I don't think that's petty. In fact –" Jellal was interrupted by a set of headlights that blinded them both.

"You were just going to dump all my stuff?" Simon's voice called out over the sound of his car engine. "Real classy, Erza."

"I figured if you wanted it, you'd have texted me by now," she replied in a defeated voice. Inevitable break up or not, she didn't want to see him again so soon.

"Jellal, do you mind helping me get my stuff out? Somehow I think disposing of another person's private property is illegal."

"Actually," Jellal countered smoothly. "That's a matter for small claims court. Unless there's expensive jewelry in these bags –" He glanced at Erza who could only shake her head no. "I wouldn't say it's even worth the legal fees to sue her."

Simon's face crinkled into rage. "I _knew_ you had a hard-on for my girlfriend, Fernandes, but this is bullshit."

Jellal only shrugged and crossed his ankles in front of him. Erza's face felt hot with mortification as she watched Simon grab handfuls of black trash bags. She didn't stop him when he pulled out a particularly squishy bag she knew to be grass clippings.

Simon threw one more angry glare at the both of them before ducking back behind the wheel and spinning the car around in a very much illegal u-turn. When his taillights disappeared, Erza exhaled loudly.

"I'm sorry about that," she murmured. "He shouldn't have said those things to you."

"It's alright. Like I said, we aren't close anymore. I feel a little responsible for the two of you meeting anyway. It was _my_ party." Jellal exhaled heavily. "My little sister and her blanket social media invites."

"I don't blame you at all." She finally stood and brushed the dust from her rear. Jellal stood, as well, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Want a _'thank you for standing off with my asshole ex-boyfriend'_ beer?"

"No, that's okay. I'm trying to lay off the booze." He laughed. "It effects my sleep schedule."

"How about dinner, then? It should be ready shortly."

"Well, if you insist." Jellal's smile lifted her spirits considerably. "Lead the way."

Erza returned his smile and he matched her pace up the driveway. It was strange to suddenly have dinner company when she'd already dressed down for the evening but Jellal had just bailed her out of a much more embarrassing situation. "It's not too late is it? I know you have early shifts sometimes."

"It's never too late for a dinner I don't have to make myself." He removed his uniform top and hung it over the back of a dining chair. The white undershirt he wore beneath clung to every contour of his chest and snagged her attention. Erza turned away from him quickly to check on dinner baking in the oven.

Simon was a white collar man. He held an actuary position at a financial firm downtown and everything he did had always felt crisp and professional. At first Erza told herself he was exactly what she wanted. Her college boyfriends had all been insufferable children with perpetual Frat-Boy Syndrome. Simon felt very grown up.

It took her less than half a year to realize Simon would never relax. In fact, not an hour before he'd proposed to her the first time he'd criticized the red paint fingerprints on the edge of her jacket sleeve. Her job as a kindergarten teacher had wrinkled his nose more than once. In hindsight she couldn't actually imagine marrying him at all, _much less_ having his children. Jellal's casual demeanor made her feel more comfortable than Simon ever had – even in her own home.

"Do you need help with anything?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Nope, I think I've got it. Maybe another few minutes." Erza handed him a glass of ice water and joined him at the table. "So tell me all about the exciting world of law enforcement."

He laughed and she watched the way his biceps flexed under the hem of his shirt sleeves surreptitiously as he sipped the ice water. "Today I pulled over an elderly woman on her bike. Her basket was filled with forty ounce malt liquor bottles. I'm pretty sure I could smell her the second I got out of my squad car."

"That's dedication to the art of day drinking."

"Try morning drinking. It was ten a.m."

"Impressive. Did you arrest her?"

"No, actually. I've had run-in's with her before. Her son came to pick her up so she wouldn't have to go to jail."

"That was very kind of you, Jellal."

Jellal's cheeks flushed pink for a moment. Erza found it endearing. "I don't like arresting people, to be honest. She was on the edge of private property anyway."

"Don't be so modest. I already know you've got a good heart." She poked him in the arm and he smiled again. Before he could reply the oven timer blared and Erza jumped. "Excuse me," she said softly.

Erza returned to the table with two plates. His steady stream of thanks and compliments made her feel like she'd made something time consuming and fancy instead of just a pan of discount produce and chicken.

"So now it's your turn. Tell me how the youth of the nation are faring. Is all well in the land of crayons and ABC's?" He asked between mouthfuls of food.

"I'm proud to report that the children are shaping up nicely. Even if I did have to explain to a distraught little boy this year the difference between the chicks we hatched in the classroom and the eggs his mom buys in the grocery store."

"That sounds delightfully awkward."

"Oh, it _was_. I have no doubt he took that conversation home with him. I'm sure you can imagine how much I'm enjoying my summer break."

"Oh, that's right! I always forget teachers have summers off. Are you taking a much deserved vacation, then?"

His genuine interest made her feel a warm inside. "Yeah, actually. My friend and I are taking a trip to the coast at the end of this month. I think I could really use it now."

"I'm sure a break will be good for you."

"I think so, too. What about you? Any summer plans?"

"Not really, no. I'm starting a new shift in the next few days. It'll be rough going from mornings to over-night but I'm trying to get promoted. I probably won't be around much."

"That sounds exciting!" Erza laughed and corrected herself. "The promotion, I mean. Not the longer, weirder hours."

"We'll see how it goes." Jellal not only cleaned his plate entirely but assisted with dishwashing, and drying. She noted he smelled of deodorant and not the expensive cologne she was used to.

"Thank you for dinner, Erza," Jellal said once the last of the dishes were on the rack. "You didn't owe me anything."

"Maybe not, but I wanted to. I appreciate your support earlier tonight. I can't express how much it means to me. Simon can be..."

"Overwhelming? He hasn't lost his tendency to overpower a room."

"Yeah," she said with a smile. "That sounds like him."

"I'm sorry he upset you," he offered sincerely.

"It's okay. The evening turned out okay, right?"

"It did." He ducked his head and smiled.

"Maybe you could..." Erza thought maybe she should bite her tongue but just couldn't do it. "Come over more often?"

"I'd like that," he said softly. Erza's fingers seemed to have suddenly grown a mind of their own. They brushed over the front of Jellal's white t-shirt. She couldn't bring herself to be horrified, though. Latent attraction was a mighty beast. His eyes dropped to her shoulder and he touched the section of hair that spilled over. He curled a band of red around his finger.

Erza stared up at him and when he tore his gaze away from her hair, a breath caught in her chest. She clenched a wad of his t-shirt and rose up on her toes to kiss him. Jellal didn't even flinch and wove his fingers into her hair without hesitation. He returned her kisses fervently. Instead of trying to control the pace he simply took what she gave.

"Stay with me?" she breathed against his lips. Jellal pulled back an inch and studied her face.

"Is this a rebound?"

"I don't know." Erza answered him honestly. Was she attracted to him? _Yes._ If not for Simon coming on like a mack truck would she have pursued the sweet, incredibly good looking cop who lived next door? _Absolutely._ But was she asking him to stay and be her rebound? She wanted to think she wasn't.

"I like you and I don't mind if that's what this is, I just need to know how to proceed."

"With exploratory caution?"

"Good enough." Jellal smiled and leaned in again. Erza pressed her body against him. His hands on the small of her back were strong but not forceful. She enjoyed kissing him and he didn't rush.

Erza tugged the edge of his shirt free of his belt and slipped her fingers beneath. His stomach was firm and he chuckled against her lips when she flattened her palms.

"Is this too forward?" she asked with a twinge of embarrassment.

"You've already propositioned me, Erza. Untucking my shirt isn't too forward."

"I, uh," Her face felt hot and she cleared her throat. "I don't do this a lot."

"Why would you?" he said softly brushing his thumb over her cheek. "You just got out of a year long relationship."

"I don't want you to think –"

"Erza," he interrupted gently. "I don't think anything."

"Sorry. I'm talking too much."

"Don't apologize. I like the sound of your voice." He smirked and dropped his gaze to her hands. " _That_ was probably too forward."

Erza pushed his shirt all the way up and over his head. "It's not too forward."

He lifted his chin and smiled crookedly. "Are we doing this in your kitchen?"

"No," she said with a laugh. "Come on." Erza took his hand and led him down the hallway. She paused just inside her room and let his shirt fall to the floor. The bed was still a pile of rumpled blankets. "Uh, it's kind of a mess in here..."

Jellal spun her around and wrapped an arm around her waist. He pulled her against his chest and kissed her lightly. "I don't care about your messy bed."

Erza worked his belt buckle and very much enjoyed the way his open pants hung on his hips. He pulled her tank top off and tossed it aside. She decided skin against skin was much better then barriers of clothing. His work pants and her pajama pants were the start of a trail that ended at the edge of her bed. The last thing she kicked off were her panties. As soon as her back hit the mattress Jellal's mouth was on her neck. His hips fit perfectly between her legs and the tip of him nudged her insistently.

"Oh, shit," he breathed.

The film of excitement fizzled from her view. "What? What is it?"

"I uh, I don't have any condoms." His face twisted in frustration.

"Well, you're in luck." Erza reached above her head to the side table drawer and pulled a sheet of condoms from the mess of pens and chapstick. "I'm on the pill but S –" She caught herself before saying his name. It was probably best not to bring up her ex-boyfriend in bed with Jellal. "Backups are nice."

Jellal tore off one of the foils and opened the packet with his teeth. His Saint Michael medal brushed her lips as he rolled the condom on himself. He tested her with his fingers before sliding inside. Erza could hardly catch her breath before his mouth was on hers again.

There was something about the even rhythm of his movements, and the unrepentant way he kissed her that made Erza desperately hope this wasn't a one-off. _Why_ had she wasted so much time when Jellal lived right next door? She gasped in surprise when he hitched her leg higher and found the place she couldn't quite reach on her own.

Erza clung to his shoulders and kept her legs tight around his waist. Jellal slid his fingers into her hair and around the back of her head. His tongue was slick against hers and his groan of pleasure resonated through her body. The vibrations seemed to gather at her center and she felt a climax stirring. All it took was a new angle of Jellal's hips and a swirl of his thumb and her eyes flew shut. He exhaled sharply against her shoulder and collapsed to her side. She rolled over and brushed the sweat dampened hair from his forehead.

"I'm a little embarrassed that ended so quickly," Erza said biting her lip in a grin. "I've never had such a hair trigger before."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment." He closed the distance between them and kissed her softly.

"You don't have to go," she whispered. "Do you have to work early?"

"I do, but –" He sat up and fished his phone from his pants pocket. "That's what alarms are for." Jellal smiled as he slid under the blankets with her. His body was still warm when he pressed against her back and kissed her shoulder. She tried to hide her smile in the pillows but he probably still noticed.

* * *

Jellal didn't actually need an alarm. His body had an internal clock and his phone was still blaring in shrill peals when they emerged from the shower. His ability to finish her off in record time seemed to extend to vertical positions as well, and his upper body strength was impressive. Erza watched him dress in his wrinkled clothes from the night before.

"Do you have enough time to go home and change? You won't be late will you?"

"No," he said with a chuckle. "I have plenty of time. And even if I am a little late, it was worth every second."

"Listen, Jellal, about –" Erza gestured between them. " _This..."_

"You don't owe me any explanations, Erza. I enjoyed it as much as you did and I'll understand if you don't want to make something more of it." He pulled his shirt on and she lamented the loss of bare skin. "If you want to talk about this when you get back from vacation, you know where to find me."

"I'll do that," she said quietly. He pulled her into a final embrace and kissed her for the last time that morning. "Try not to meet anyone else while I'm gone."

"I don't think that'll be a problem." He left her wondering how her life could've possibly taken such an unexpected turn in one night.

* * *

A sharp knock on the hotel bathroom door startled her out of the trance of spiraling toilet water. Erza groaned and relaxed against the cool tile wall of the bathroom.

"It's open, Lucy," she croaked out. If she didn't think she'd vomit again simply by moving, she would crawl into the shower and let the cold water sooth the overwhelming nausea.

"Erza, what's wrong? Are you sick?" Lucy crouched down next to her on the floor and pressed her fingers to Erza's wrist. "Your pulse is racing. What's going on?"

"I just vomited ten years of my life away. My heart is probably trying to catch up," she offered weakly.

"This is the third morning you've been in here, and yesterday you napped away the afternoon."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Erza asked dragging herself to her feet. She splashed her face with cool water and felt marginally better.

"We roomed together in college for two years. You never nap."

Erza sighed and flipped the toilet lid down. She sank to the edge and cupped her knees with shaking hands.

"And keep in mind that I'm a nurse so I already know what all this could mean." Lucy's tone was gentle even if Erza knew she was serious.

"I think I might be pregnant," she whispered. "I just have this... _feeling._ "

"We should get a test from the hotel pharmacy downstairs."

"I don't think that'll work. I haven't missed a period yet." Her fingernails dug into the soft spot beneath her knee caps.

"When will that be?"

Erza closed her eyes and tried to run the numbers. "Another four days, I think? I was expecting it on the last day we were here."

"I see. There's nothing we can really do but wait, then." Lucy knelt down in front of her and took her hands. "I assume you don't want to have a child with Simon?"

"I don't think –" Her mind was still crunching a million numbers. "I don't think it's Simon's," she muttered.

"Eh, what now?" Lucy asked surprised.

"I slept with my neighbor," Erza groaned.

"You mean the cop?"

"Yeah."

Lucy tried to swallow her giggles. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh. It's just so unlike you to have a one night stand. You know he has a massive crush on you, right?"

"We hooked up a couple of weeks before this trip. There's no way Simon could be –" The words felt awkward in her mouth. She couldn't quite bring herself to say _the father._ "Anyway, I actually _like_ Jellal but I don't know how he'll feel about any of this."

"If you don't want a baby, you don't have to tell him, Erza. It's _your_ body." Lucy grimaced. " _Hey, I'm having your baby_ isn't exactly a great relationship starter."

"No, it isn't." Erza felt the nausea finally dissipate. Lucy followed her from the bathroom and watched as she crawled back into bed. "I need to wait it out before making any decisions."

* * *

Erza's eye caught on the unopened bag of tampons at the bottom of her suitcase while unpacking her clothes. She sighed and tossed it under her bathroom sink. Of course she'd been hoping for her period to come but the tight knot that had lodged itself in her stomach knew all along it wouldn't. Later that evening she purchased four different brands of pregnancy tests. Erza took two before bed and two in the morning. The results were clear.

A full week passed before she finally caught Jellal at home. His new shift was apparently just as grueling as he'd said it would be. Lucy insisted she needed to make a decision as soon as possible but Erza couldn't bring herself to leave him out of the process. For better or for worse she found herself knocking on his front door just before noon on a Tuesday morning. The bigger part of her wanted him awake and alert but a smaller, more terrified part wanted him to simply sleep through her knocks.

His hair was rumpled and he stifled a yawn as he pulled open the front door. Erza felt instantly guilty for interrupting what was clearly a much needed sleep cycle.

"Uh, hi," she said with a smile that failed miserably.

"Erza, hey."

"I can come back if you're busy..." her offer was feeble and her fingers twisted together nervously.

"No, no, it's fine." Jellal stepped aside and ushered her into his house. "How was your vacation?"

Erza's mind raced at a million miles per hour. She didn't want to drop a bomb on him but there really wasn't any good way to say it. "It was nice. I got kind of sick at the end, though."

"That's no good. Was it something you ate?" He offered her a bottle of water from the refrigerator and she was grateful to have something in her hands.

"No, actually. Listen, Jellal, there's something I need to say." She watched him gulp down the water and raise an eyebrow. "I'm pregnant."

He stared blankly at her for a long moment. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm pregnant." When he didn't respond right away Erza's throat closed and she squeezed the water bottle. "I shouldn't have come here. It's my problem and I –" She turned to leave but he grabbed her wrist.

"No, wait! Don't go! I'm sorry I just wasn't expecting... _that."_ She turned back around and swiped at hot tears. Jellal passed her a paper towel and she took it with mumbled thanks. "Okay, let's start this over. You're pregnant?"

"Yes," Erza mumbled with a sniffle.

"And I assume since you're telling _me_..."

"It can't be Simon's," she finished. "We weren't together at all after the botched proposal. There's no one else but you."

"But you're on birth control. I saw the prescription in your bathroom _and_ we used a condom. Are you _sure –_ "

"I've taken four tests. I'm sure. And we didn't use a condom in the shower the next morning. Pills aren't..." she trailed off and sighed. More tears were coming for sure.

"They aren't perfect, I know. My sister was a surprise to both my parents."

Erza gathered herself. "I don't want to saddle you with this, okay? You've got your own life, and I've got mine. I'm perfectly capable of handling a baby and –"

"Whoa, whoa. Just... stop." He took her wrist again and directed her through the kitchen and to his living room. Erza's head was spinning and she was grateful to sink into the couch cushions. "Please don't assume I'm not interested in a child I was complicit in making."

"You don't want me to get rid of it?"

"No! I mean, not really. Unless that's what _you_ want." His quick backpedaling finally drew a smile from her.

"It's not."

"I know that you and I have had a somewhat nontraditional start, but you being pregnant doesn't change how I feel, Erza."

"No?" she asked carefully.

"No. Crazier things have happened." His positivity was contagious and Erza felt the knot in her stomach start to unravel. "I do think I'll have to insist on taking you out officially before our kid is born."

Erza's tension cracked and she laughed. "That sounds like a good idea."

Jellal slid across the couch and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "This is going to be okay. We'll figure it out."

"For the record," she said softly. "I was going to come home and tell you I wanted to see you again even before I knew I was pregnant."

"I was hoping you would." He pressed a kiss to her temple and Erza smiled up at him. She opened her mouth to reply but a yawn came out instead.

"I am so sorry!" Her hand flew to her mouth. "I've been ridiculously tired lately."

"That's perfect." Jellal stood and offered his hand. "Because I'm exhausted." His bed turned out to be much more comfortable than hers and everything about it smelled like him. Erza's sense of smell had gone off the rails in the last week but the scent of his pillows and sheets left her feeling more content than she had since her first dash to the hotel toilet.

* * *

Erza's eyes cracked open. The room seemed to be quaking. Her arm slid out to find Jellal's side of the bed cold. She groaned and turned her face into the pillow.

"Mommy!" a voice shrieked. The sudden pressure of two small hands pressing into her shoulder blades drew Erza fully into reality. Twenty-eight pounds of excited two year old collapsed on her lower back. _"Happy birthday!"_

Without dislodging her daughter, Erza rolled over and smiled as best she could. "Thank you, sweetie," she said through the thickness of lingering sleep.

"Birthday!" Rosemary cried again and leaned down to wrap her arms around Erza's neck. She smelled like Cheerios.

"Where's your dad?" Erza asked. Her daughter smiled and pressed a sloppy kiss to her cheek.

"Uhmm..." Rosemary sat up and tugged on the edges of her messy hair. She glanced at the bedroom door before shrugging.

"It's okay." Erza yawned and sat up. "Thank you for wishing me a happy birthday, sweetpea." Rosemary giggled when she returned the kiss. "Let's go find daddy, okay?"

"Kay!"

Erza pulled Rosemary onto her hip and made her way through the house. She kicked aside a family of stuffed bears and avoided a pile of dirty clothes on her way to the kitchen. Sometimes her life before moving in with Jellal and having a child with him seemed like a whole other universe.

"Daddy!" Rosemary squealed when they found him measuring cream into Erza's coffee cup. He smiled sheepishly over at them.

"Aw, shortcake, you woke her up!" Jellal traded the squirming girl for the coffee cup. "Why don't you go get the card we picked out?"

Rosemary took off running as soon as her feet hit the floor. Erza watched her go before setting aside the coffee cup and wrapping her arms around Jellal's waist.

"A card _and_ coffee?" she asked with a grin.

"Well, she was supposed to let you sleep but I got distracted." He kissed her lightly and smoothed her still rumpled hair. "Sorry."

"I don't mind." Erza sighed and pressed her ear to Jellal's chest. His hands fell to the spot he favored on her lower back.

"Happy birthday, Erza," he murmured in her ear.

"Me too! Me too!" Rosemary had returned and wrapped her arms around their thighs. She tugged anxiously on the edge of Erza's nightgown. Jellal lifted her back to his hip and presented Erza with a now-wrinkled card. "Happy birthday!" she shouted again.

Nothing had been easy about the last few years but she loved Jellal and the life they'd made together. It didn't hurt that he not only made an amazing cup of coffee, but adorable children, as well.


	25. A Mostly Perfect Union

_**"Namiiswan asked: Person A and B of your OTP are in an arranged marriage because of their parents. They don't like each other in a romantic way and consider themselves as 'friends with benefits'. However, Person A finds out they're pregnant with Person B's baby. How does Person B react to this? ((Bonus: Person A and B had been secretly in love with each other for a long time now.))"**_

 _ **I think it's obvious I went for the bonus.**_

* * *

 **A Mostly Perfect Union**

* * *

The first time he saw her was through the carved balusters of the main staircase in his family's home. She was nine and he was nine and one day, he'd been told, they would be married. When he'd pestered his mother for a name her only reply was a hurried, "Eileen? Or Erza... one of the two. I forget which one is your age."

Jellal wished he knew which was which. The younger girl stood beside her mother and father with hands clasped in front of her. A picture of courtesy and politeness. The older sister had a permanent smirk that he didn't care for at all. She looked far too cunning. Jellal's brow dented with disapproval when she suddenly reached out to poke at an imperfection in her sister's hair while the adults were speaking. The formerly placid face of the younger sister twisted into an impressive glare that only deepened the other's smirk.

He was glad he'd been born too late to marry the taller girl. It wasn't uncommon for magical families like his in the same guild to intermarry – his very existence was the product of such a marriage. For a long time he'd lived in fear that he would be forced to marry his cousin Lucy, even though everyone assured him that was ridiculous. Vows exchanged within guilds was one thing, but the ideals behind _'pure bloodlines'_ had long been abandoned in Fiore.

The Scarlet family had only just returned from years abroad and were ready to take their place in the upper social echelon of Fairy Tail. Jellal stared hard at the younger sister trying to dredge up memories of her from his early childhood but failed. He gasped and jumped back when her eyes suddenly shot upwards and locked on his. By the time Jellal's mother, Anna, followed the girl's gaze she found nothing but an empty staircase.

* * *

His betrothed was _strong_ and _brilliant_. Jellal's new hobby was watching her act on a rivalry with the eldest Strauss sibling. His _almost_ thirteen year old brain couldn't quite grasp why Erza and Mirajane clashed so often but he'd heard his father muttering to himself on the subject of _alpha females_ and how glad he was his son was marrying the Scarlet girl instead of the other – something about brute magical force not outweighing a sharp mind in battle.

Jellal commanded a monstrous power in his own rite. His mother reminded him often that the heavens were weighty things and he should never underestimate the force of the stars. Unlike Erza's rigorous physical schedule, though, his training consisted of magical theory and feats. He worked with a former delegate of the Ministry of Magical Development and hoped to master not only his own heavenly body magic but several other types before he turned fifteen.

The private lessons with his mentor were a subject of dispute within the guild members closest to his family. Only Erza's father had approved when other friends claimed Acnologia's decision to educate his son at home reeked of elitism. Even though the elder Scarlet approved, Eileen attended a foreign school for her specialties. Jellal wasn't sure if the man was being completely honest when he said she'd been sent away because of sisterly discord or if he didn't care to come under the same amount of scrutiny as the father of his future son-in-law.

Either way Erza was happier now that her sister was out of the picture. Jellal was happy that Erza was happy.

* * *

The stole and cords that signified his official status of Wizard Saint were mounted in a shadow box on the prominent north wall of the great room. The frame matched his father's exactly and Jellal wasn't sure how he felt about that. He understood the importance of the Fernandes family name – how could he not? It had been engraved on his face when he was still young enough to have sunburned fingers sticky with blackberry juice – but he desperately wanted out from under the shadow of Acnologia the Dragon Slayer.

Only one thing made him feel special as of late and she was expected any minute. Since he and Erza turned sixteen, her mother had been pushing her to spend more time at the home of her fiancee. He suspected she'd rather be training or working but Erza never complained. Their friendship was stable but the awkward undercurrent of impending marriage never quite went away. He knew she respected him as a fellow mage and never behaved as though his company was something she didn't enjoy but... sometimes he couldn't help but wish she would look at him differently.

Erza wasn't just beautiful. She was _resplendent_. Unlike him, she always said the right thing in every situation – even though he most enjoyed her quirkier side that only came out in more familiar company – and her extensive knowledge of history and melee weapons impressed his father greatly.

"They don't have Wizard Saints across the sea," said a voice behind him. Jellal glanced over his shoulder and smiled.

"Yes, it's quite different over there from what I understand."

Erza stood at his right elbow and took in the sight of the freshly framed stole and cords. "Do you feel any different now that you have them? I know you were aiming for an earlier title."

"No. It feels anti-climactic, to be honest. I don't know what I expected." He tore his gaze from the shadowbox and turned to Erza. "What about you?"

"I don't need a title." Erza took his arm. "Let's have a chat in the garden. It's more private."

"Sure," Jellal muttered. The air outside was heavy with summer heat. Trumpet blossoms lined the edges of the walkways and their sweet fragrance nearly overpowered. Erza's gauzy dress fluttered in the slight breeze when she pulled him to a bench surrounded by manicured, leafy bushes.

"We've never really talked about it," she said folding her hands in her lap. "But we should."

"What?" he asked even though he already had a good idea what she meant.

"Our engagement."

"It always felt like a thing that was far away."

"Three years will pass in a blink. I'd rather not find ourselves staring awkwardly at one another on opposite sides of a marriage bed without having talked about anything before hand."

"What did you want to talk about?" Jellal asked carefully.

"I like you, Jellal," she said bluntly. "You've always been kind to me and took my side when I faced off with my sister, and you're always the first to help the younger kids in the guild. Your status and power could've turned you into something ugly but it didn't. And I..." Erza faltered and her eyes dropped to her hands in her lap. "I'd rather marry you than anyone else."

"I don't want to marry anyone else, either," he blurted. "And I would be your friend even if you weren't going to be my wife."

Erza laughed lightly. "Thanks, Jellal."

"I mean it. I'm not as great with words as you."

"You are too," Erza teased. "I heard you talking to Wendy once about her magic and it was the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

Jellal's face felt warm. "I didn't realize anyone heard that."

"Well, _I_ did." She smiled at him and then bit her lip as it faded away. "Listen, I know you don't... I mean I know we're not –" Erza sighed and flicked a strand of hair from her face. He loved her hair. "What I mean is, I'm glad we're friends. Even if we don't have the _love_ part I think friendship is important."

"Right," Jellal spit out. He wasn't completely sure the boundaries of his feelings for Erza but he didn't want to guilt her into loving him. He only wanted her to be happy, and it was a great relief on it's own to know she didn't hate the idea of their marriage.

"Still, though," Erza went on. "There's going to be expectations."

"Like?"

"Like babies." She met his eyes. "We'll have to, uh, make –" Her cheeks flushed a lovely pink. "I mean _have_ at least one."

"Have you ever –" Jellal cut himself off and backtracked. "Never mind. That's none of my business, we aren't even married yet and –"

"No," Erza interjected. "I haven't. Been with anybody, I mean. But I'm sure you –"

"I haven't." Erza's eyebrow quirked upwards and he shrugged sheepishly. "It never really crossed my mind to pursue anyone else."

"I guess we'll have to figure that out on our own, then."

Jellal sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah."

Erza suddenly stood and grabbed his hand. "You should kiss me."

 _"What?"_

"We're going to be married in three years. I don't want our first kiss to be in front of a crowd of guild members. That's embarrassing." She laughed nervously. "If I'm a terrible kisser I don't want to find out in public."

"I'm sure you aren't a terrible kisser, Erza."

"Let's just consider it practice."

"Yeah, okay." She gazed up at him and Jellal felt like an idiot. He knew she wanted him to kiss her and it wasn't as if he hadn't pondered this moment a million times in his head, but the sudden reality of it petrified him.

She smiled and took his hand in hers. Bless her, she was so much better than he was. Erza stepped closer to him so they were toe-to-toe. His eyes fell to her lips and he touched her cheek with the very tips of his fingers. Before he could think himself to death, Jellal ducked his head and kissed her.

He'd never been so close to her before and she smelled strongly of honeysuckle. Her lips were soft and she returned his kiss with a sweetness that flipped his insides over. When he kissed her again her fingers tightened around his.

"Jellal!"

At the sound of his name Jellal froze. His eyes flew open and Erza was still _so close_. She blinked and he blinked but neither of them moved.

"Jellal! Are you still out here?" Anna's voice floated through the plants and flowers.

"That's your mom," Erza whispered. Her lips brushed his as she spoke. "I should go."

"If you want." It was all he could say.

"We can talk about the rest of it later." She released his hand and stepped away. Her cheeks were pink when she smiled at him and waved goodbye.

Jellal stood alone in the garden wondering what she meant by _'the rest of it.'_

* * *

The wedding had been beautiful even if he barely remembered any of it. Erza's white dress was still in a pool on their bedroom floor – neither of them had bothered to hang it up after he helped her get it off. Jellal glanced over at her sleeping body next to him. She lay flat on her stomach with the sheets pooled at the small of her back. Moonlight painted the room in silver and her skin appeared flawless. Tendrils of red overflowed to his pillow but he didn't mind.

A marriage he'd been waiting for since he was nine years old had come and gone. Erza was now his wife. It seemed a surreal concept. Over the last three years they'd inched closer to one another and discussed their future at length. Jellal didn't mind that she wasn't in love with him. Whether or not Erza knew how he felt about her was a mystery. Even if she never grew to love him their commitment to one another would be enough.

Only one thing had managed to blight the afternoon – Erza's sister. She'd remarked snidely during the reception dinner that Erza's white dress was a hilarious joke. Jellal's parents had both sneered at the tasteless comment but Erza's mother excused herself from the table. Her father behaved as if Eileen hadn't said anything at all. After the ugly words had fallen from Eileen's lips Jellal's hand shot out and grasped Erza's wrist under the table. He knew her instinct would be to launch a counter attack but it seemed confrontation was what Eileen wanted. The same smirk Jellal hated the first time he'd seen her from between the balusters was etched on the older Scarlet sister's face all afternoon. Eventually Erza's rage calmed and she twisted her hand to thread her fingers with his.

* * *

Rain pelted the windows and even leaked down through the chimney. The entire inn felt _damp_. Jellal poked at the fire logs and accepted they'd never have a roaring blaze unless the wood managed to dry itself out. He lined the logs as close to the hearth as he dared before turning back to his wife. She smiled at him from under a mound of blankets and bit her bottom lip. He knew her well enough by now to know she was amused.

"Feel better?" she asked. "Now that you've confirmed everything is terrible?"

"I do. I had to get it out of my system."

"Good." She patted the mattress next to her. "Now come get in bed. It's cold."

Jellal stripped off his cloak and left his clothes draped over the tiny sofa. Nothing was completely dry except the bed sheets. Erza slid next to him and under his arm. As they usually did, Jellal's fingers toyed with the long strands of red hair that spread behind her.

"Tell me why we're here again?" he asked with a sigh.

"Because I'm S-Class and you're a Wizard Saint and no one else qualified was around to take the job?" She draped an arm across his chest and pressed her face to the side of his neck. " _And_ because getting out of town is nice."

"I'm sure this has nothing to do with your sister's visit."

"Not at all." She couldn't keep the guilty lilt out of her voice. "I just thought it would be nice for us to work together."

 _"Sure."_ Jellal yawned and bent an arm back behind his head. "It's all perfectly innocent."

"I never said it was innocent," she whispered, brushing her lips over his jaw. Erza lifted herself to rest her weight on his hips and stretched out over him.

"You could've seduced me at home, you know," he said, grinning as her breasts pressed against his chest.

"Maybe, but it's been a boring month for me. Boring jobs, empty house, nosy family." Erza's hand reached between them and her fingers closed around the part of him that only she had ever touched. Her motions were fluid and, as expected, it didn't take long for him to be hard and ready.

"I should be away less this next year," he groaned as she slid down to envelope him smoothly.

"Good. I don't like working alone and I missed you." Erza's hair spilled over her shoulders and in the firelight she struck him as a goddess. The flames danced on her skin and she rode him with the confidence of someone who knew their lover well.

And she did know him well. Jellal didn't think anyone knew him better – and if she'd guessed that he'd fallen in love with her, she never said a word. She held his hand and he held hers. He knew he'd never have to wonder if she'd be by his side should adversity arise.

Their lovemaking was not the stiff lurch and spill Jellal was afraid they'd fall back on once the five year mark passed. Romance or not, Erza pursued him with excited interest. Sex was yet another facet of their support system. She seemed to pick up on his tensions and steered him from the serious when he needed it. Her playfulness in bed chased away the dark clouds that tended to gather over his head. In return he never gave her the chance to fall into a brood over a clash with her sister. Tensions hit a breaking point when Eileen followed Erza into S-Class politics. Jellal knew exactly how rough she liked it when she was angry, and tightened his fist in her hair just so.

Erza grabbed his hands and guided the open palms to her breasts. Her head fell back and she grasped his thigh with excruciating force. The contradiction of her earlier confession of missing him and the manic way she rode him now felt strange. Jellal slid his hands around to her back, sat up, pressed his chest to hers, and brushed his lips over the shell of her ear.

"What's bothering you?" he breathed. A long breath escaped her lungs and she grabbed both sides of his face in her hands. Erza's eyes were intense as she stared at him hard. Just as suddenly as she'd captured him with her gaze, her eyelids slid shut and her forehead fell forward into his.

"I told you," she said softly. "I missed you. There's things I can't tell anyone else. You were gone for a month, Jellal."

"I'm sorry," he offered sincerely. "I missed you too." Erza pulled back again and searched his face. Her fingers carded through his hair before the rhythm of her hips took up an urgency.

Jellal didn't fall asleep until long after she slumped against him, spent.

* * *

The third time she circled the room, Jellal tossed aside his book.

"You're pacing," he said firmly.

"Sorry," she mumbled with a sheepish expression.

"Don't apologize, Erza. I'm worried about you." He stood and joined her in front of the fire place. "Tell me what's going in. You've been acting strange for months."

"Is it really so noticeable?" Her face fell.

"Yes." He took her hands and ran his thumbs over her palms. "Please tell me. It's driving me nuts. We don't keep secrets."

Erza sighed and lifted her face to the ceiling. The room was so silent Jellal thought for sure he could hear even the snow falling outside. "I'm pregnant," she said not lowering her gaze.

"Does that upset you? I didn't know that was possible right now but is it so bad?" he asked softly. "We both knew this would happen eventually." When Erza looked at him again there were tears in her eyes.

"Jellal, I need to be honest with you. There's something I've been hiding and now that there's going to be a baby..." She twisted one hand free and swiped at the wayward tears. "I can't keep it from you anymore. Even if... even if it changes the way you see me."

"Erza, _please_. Tell me what's causing this distress. It doesn't matter what it is, you're my _wife_." Her chest rose and fell rapidly before she finally nodded.

"I'm in love with you," she said in a near whisper. "I have been. I didn't think that's what you wanted from me... from _this,_ our marriage, so I just never said anything. We seemed to be fine without it."

"Erza –"

"But I'm _not_ fine. I'm _not_. I can't pretend I don't love you anymore." Her eyes penetrated him and her cheeks glistened with moisture. "I'm sorry if this ruins things or –" He _had_ to stop her. Jellal pulled Erza against his chest and her arms slid around his middle. "I'm sorry," she sobbed into his shirt.

"No, Erza, _I'm_ sorry. I should've said something years ago." Jellal pressed his lips to the crown of her head. "I've been in love with you since before I realized what love was," he said into her hair. "If I'd known you felt this way too –"

"Do you remember that day in the garden when we were sixteen?" Her head turned to the side. She could probably hear every beat of his heart.

"The day you demanded I kiss you?" he said with a chuckle.

"Yes. That's when I knew how I felt. I've just always been too..." she trailed off and sighed. "Too aggressive, I guess. I'm so clumsy."

"You aren't." Jellal angled her chin upwards. "I love you exactly the way you are." Erza finally smiled and tightened her arms around him.

"We're going to have a baby," she said amid fresh tears. He pulled each and every one of them into his mouth before finally kissing her. He noted that although all tears were salty, these tasted of relieved joy.


	26. The Space Between

_**"Namiiswan asked: Imagine Person A of your OTP is pregnant, with a child that doesn't belong to Person B. Person B is a close friend and offers to be the other parent so that Person A doesn't have to raise the kid alone. bonding over sleepless nights and all of the trial and error of parenting eventually leads them to fall for each other."**_

 _ **So bear with me here. I don't typically write in first person or present tense - though more of the latter lately than in my whole life - and I feel like I'm in a bit of a writing rut. I need to break out of my box and try new things or I'll never gain ground. Maybe this isn't what was wanted of me for this particular prompt but I'm pleased with how it came out. Normally I try and break up the narrative but since I'm already experimenting with style why not just toss all the rules out at once?**_

* * *

 **The Space Between**

* * *

"Let me help you, Erza. I _want_ to."

I don't know why I say it. My mouth just opens and words start coming out before I can properly vet them for feasibility, appropriateness, and sensitivity. I mean them, of course, I would never write Erza check I can't cash but still. What do I know about babies and parenting and childbirth? _Nothing._ But I do know about family – or, rather, the lack of it. Seeing her round with an absent man's child and muttering between sniffles and tears that she'll figure it out somehow breaks my heart. I never _could_ stand to see her cry.

I start buying books. I read about lotions and breathing patterns and mucus plugs and nipple balms and gas soothing drops. I don't know how useful this motley collection of information I've amassed will be but Erza smiles when she sees the books. And that's enough.

Erza is a guidance councilor at a middle school school. She likes it. I can't imagine her doing anything else. She is everything kids like us needed. I still don't know who impregnated her but she says it doesn't matter. I trust her. I don't care who he is. He is gone and I am here.

She sleeps down the hall. Her apartment isn't too small anymore and my house isn't too big. It's perfect now. Everything fits. There's a whitewashed dresser in the baby's room filled with scraps of clothing that have folds and snaps in odd places. All the sheets are washed. We are ready.

Erza promises me it's not forever. She promises me my house back when she gets herself together. I already know I want her to stay.

It doesn't occur to me _how much_ and _why_ I want her to stay until a swaddled bun of a baby is in my arms. I promised Erza a family once. It was a whispered promise across the void between our bunkbeds, and quickly shushed by a passing caregiver, but still a promise all the same.

"I'm sorry this is so hard," she chokes out between frustrated tears when the baby can't sleep. "I'm sorry."

She's tired. I'm tired. I take the baby and Erza falls asleep on the couch because her bed is just too far away. The wriggling mass on my chest contorts and sighs. She doesn't nod off until the sun peeks through the windows.

Erza isn't breastfeeding but she doesn't eat enough. She drops pregnancy weight too fast and pushes herself too hard. Her bedroom door is open and I catch her poking at her shrinking middle.

"You made a perfect baby, Erza. There is nothing wrong with you." I remind her from the doorway. She curls in on herself and I think maybe this is about more than her body.

"He's married," she whispers into my shoulder. "I fell for the oldest line in the book, Jellal."

"The check's in the mail?"

"No," she laughs before sighing and pressing her nose to my chest. "He said he was leaving. I believed him."

"Do you love him?"

"No." Her voice is quiet as she pulls away and smooths her tears from my shirt.

"Then he doesn't matter." Her hair is not as fine as it was when we were children. It's thicker now but still just as soft. I don't mean to touch it but I do. Erza stares up at me with a complicated dent between her eyebrows.

As quickly as my offer to be the other half of her family unit fell from my lips, those same lips pressed a kiss to her forehead. I almost don't pull away but the baby is awake. And Erza is still in her underwear. She blushes but doesn't look away.

Teething is a hard phase. Baby Ava goes from sleeping almost through the night to waking every few hours again. Erza tries not to be disappointed but school starts again in a month and she's worried. Frozen rags work best. When the semester begins, Erza tells me her co-workers at school assume we are a couple. I mind less than I probably should. She doesn't mention correcting them.

Ava becomes mobile just in time to grab at Christmas ornaments. The sparkly ones are her favorite. Erza carefully packs away all the glass balls and replaces them with plastic. I no longer think of the house as _mine_ but _ours._

Neither of us make it to midnight on New Years. Erza passes me a can of ginger ale at ten o'clock and smiles. She kisses my cheek on her way to bed. Her kiss isn't what changes me, though. It's the way she clutches my forearm and the way her fingers slide through mine and the way the last strands of her hair stick to my sweater sleeve.

"Happy New Year, Jellal," she whispers with a smile that's real and not an exhausted grimace.

Ava's dress has a smear of birthday cake on the front. She's asleep by the time I wrangle her out of it. It's been a year since she came howling into our lives and as I watch her sleep I realize how attached I've become.

Erza is in the kitchen. Her hair is slipping out of it's bun as she gathers the remaining mess of paper plates and plastic silverware. I take the trash bag from her and set it aside. When she looks up at me I know she understands. We've been dancing for months but never touching. Her head falls to the side and her bun slides loose completely. Any other time I might have run my fingers through it or break the silence to stop myself from considering anything else.

But not today.

I lean down and she leans up and we meet in the middle. She tastes like birthday cake and icing. Her lips are soft and pliant. Erza's arms are strong around my neck and I can't stop kissing her. I don't want to.

A sigh escapes her lips when she falls backward into my bed. Her hair is a mess and _we_ are a mess. But the way her calf presses into my hip is enough.

"It should've been you," she whispers when we are finished and lay side by side. Her cheeks are high with color and her lips red from so many kisses.

"It's me _now._ "

Erza smiles and presses her forehead to mine. "It is."

She doesn't sleep down the hall anymore.

In the end she opts for silk petals. Ava is attentive for a three year old but her fascination with shredding rose petals isn't entirely unexpected. She is a flamboyant little girl and loves every inch of her ruffled dress – but she is also rambunctious and does not entirely grasp why the dress and the sandbox don't go together.

The adoption waiting period is waived. _He_ doesn't contest and Erza is relieved. She takes more naps this time around. Ava wears her out. I sign my daughter up for swimming lessons and it becomes something we do together. When the new baby arrives she is _fascinated_.

I don't think the eleven year old version of me fully understood the promise he made to Erza in the quiet of night. But the version of me _now_ understands the promises we've made to _each other_ as I watch my wife and children sleep beside me.


	27. Holding On and Letting Go

_**"Anonymous asked: Person A and Person B have known each other for some time, so Person A invited Person B to their house. Person A wanted to present their child to Person B, but when they met the kid just asked if person B was their the kid's biological/other parent (Person C) still keeps contact with Person A to know how they've been doing is up to you."**_

 _ **So bear with me here for a moment. I had a hard time with this prompt so some changes had to be made. Elements of the plot were taken from the 1998 movie Hope Floats and the summary and title came from the song "Holding On and Letting Go" by Ross Copperman (which is very good and I 300% recommend you head over to YouTube and have a listen).**_

* * *

 **Holding On and Letting Go**

* * *

Erza's eyes flit back and forth between the two brands. Their ingredients were almost identical with only a few differences in nutritional content. She returned both boxes to the shelf and pulled out her phone. Maybe she shouldn't be feeding her niece boxed pasta dinners at all. What would her sister do? Erza tapped the corner of her phone against her forehead irritably. It didn't really matter what Eileen would do – she'd done enough _already_. Her mother, of course, would've made the pasta and sauce herself from scratch. Erza tossed the blue box in with her other groceries. She needed to learn how to do things her _own_ way.

The front wheels of the shopping cart caught on themselves every few feet and Erza's jaw tightened. To make up for Ellie possibly hating the macaroni and cheese, she found herself in front of the ice cream selection. Dessert was the only thing earning smiles these days.

"I always knew you had a sweet tooth, Erza," a voice behind her joked. "But ice cream in winter? For _shame._ " She spun around to find the smiling face of someone she hadn't seen in what felt like ages. His hair was cut closer than she remembered but he was almost exactly the same.

"Jellal!" Erza almost – _almost –_ launched herself at him but regained her senses quickly. They were adults now and for all she knew he had a wife or girlfriend just around the corner who wouldn't appreciate the physical contact. Instead, her fingers tightened on the handle of her cart. "Wow, it's been a minute."

"Yeah, it's been quite a few minutes." He shoved his hands in his pockets but continued to smile. "I heard you were back in town." Jellal dropped his eyes apologetically. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"It's okay," she said with a pained smile. "Everything else aside, I think it was time I came home anyway. Thank you, though."

"I should've been at the funeral but –"

"You don't have to apologize. It was a small service and Mom would've understood. _Life goes on,_ she always said."

"That it does." Jellal's grin returned and he glanced over the contents of her cart. "This stuff doesn't look like it's for you."

Erza smirked. He'd always had a way of asking sidelong questions. "That's because it's not."

"Are there miniature versions of you now who like macaroni and cheese?"

"Not _me_ , no."

Jellal's grin widened and he turned to the frozen display case. "I guess we can rule out strawberry then? What about _plain old vanilla?_ "

His suggestions drew a laugh. Erza knew damn well what he was hinting at. Strawberry was always _her_ favorite, but vanilla... _Simon_ was the only one who'd ever chosen vanilla on purpose. Eileen never failed to choose a decadent chocolate, and Jellal had been content to steal bites from Erza – much to Simon's annoyance.

"I haven't had _vanilla_ in a while," she said quirking one eyebrow playfully. "I think this particular guest would prefer the chocolate."

Jellal reached for the chocolate ganache flavor but Erza caught his wrist.

"Not that one," she said with a wink. "It's too rich. Let's go with marshmallow bits instead." Erza put the pint next to the other cold items in her cart and bit her lip to hold back a laugh at Jellal's confused expression.

"You're a soap opera, Erza," he said shaking his head. "I can't keep up."

She took pity and motioned for him to follow her to the juice aisle. "Eileen's daughter Ellie was in mom's custody when she died. Until I can sort out whatever agreement they had, she'll be with me."

" _Wow._ That's... she didn't show up for the funeral I take it?"

"Nope. You know how Eileen is. I knew mom was looking after her kid but I didn't realize it was so permanent. I'm trying to get ahold of her but her agent is cagey with information."

"She's still vying for that Oscar gold, huh?"

Erza snorted and grabbed a package of juice boxes. "I don't think they give Oscars for magazine ads and TV commercials."

"It's good to know you two are still so close." Jellal nudged her shoulder and she smiled. "Tell me about you, though. What have you been up to?"

"I'm grateful things have calmed down. Divorce can be dramatic."

"And there it is," he said with an elongated air of finality.

"You could've just asked, Jellal. I know you wanted to."

"I would never be so intrusive."

"So you decided to blatantly flirt with me instead? That's pretty bold."

"I like living on the edge."

Erza laughed. "I'm taking a personal break, I think. The divorce settlement will come through soon, and paired with my mom's estate I should be good for at least a year before I need a salary. What about you, though? How did college pan out for you? There was a lot of fanfare back then, did you live up to all those expectations?"

"Well," he drawled, shoving his hands back in his pockets. "I spent a lot of time cramming my head full of stuff that's not at all related to sixth grade science."

"I don't understand what those two things have to do with one another."

"You twist me up in yarns about ice cream flavor symbology but can't connect the dots?"

She brought her cart to a sudden halt and turned to face him. "You're a _middle school teacher?_ But –" Her words fizzled on her tongue. The very idea of a proclaimed genius like Jellal teaching six graders how to build foam ball solar systems appalled her. He smiled sheepishly.

"Turns out I can't stay away from this town. I guess you could say I had some loose ends that needed tying."

Erza pursed her lips. It had always been this way between the two of them. They laughed and joked effortlessly but hid behind clever strings of words. Every second spent with Jellal felt very much like playing with a loaded gun just waiting to go off. She wondered if the bullets were even still good after so long.

Her phone interrupted any reply she might have made. Jellal leaned over and peeked at the Caller ID.

"You'll want to take that," he said softly. "I'll see you around, Erza." Before she could even wish him a good evening, he was gone. Erza shook her head and answered the call.

"Hey, Ellie," she said with an attempt at brightness. "I'll be home in a few minutes. You like mac and cheese, right?"

* * *

"Aunt Erza?" a quiet voice came from the tuft of red hair poking up from behind the couch. The shade was only slightly darker than Eileen's.

"What is it sweetie?" Erza set aside her laptop and waited for Ellie to approach her. The little girl was often lost in an imaginary world and sometimes exhibited a shyness completely unlike her mother.

"I think I want to go to _real_ school." Ellie peeked over the cushions and Erza's eyebrows flew up. As far as she could tell, her eight year old niece had only ever been homeschooled – first by a teaching student Eileen hired and later by their mother. Erza didn't mind the task but once her money ran out and she started accepting manuscripts for editing again, she'd have less free time.

"Well," she began softly. "The school year is half over. I'll enroll you if you'd like but it wouldn't be a bad idea to wait until fall."

Ellie picked at the afghan folded over the back of the sofa for a moment. "I don't think I want to wait."

"We'll go to the school tomorrow, then. How's that?"

"I just want to make sure my ducks are in a row for third grade," she said with a nod and a little smile.

"That's very proactive of you." Ellie's head disappeared again and Erza reached for her laptop.

"Thank you," a quiet voice said from behind the couch. "I'm glad you're here, Aunt Erza." Ellie's words were in earnest and Erza's heart broke for a little girl who just wanted stability. Not for the first time she wanted to slap her sister for being so selfish.

* * *

Erza flipped through the brightly colored folders and pulled out every single purple one on the shelf. The list of school supplies Ellie needed was ridiculously long for only half a year. And _of course_ she'd need all new supplies come next fall, as well.

Her niece had been completely unbothered that morning in the elementary school's front office. Second grade wasn't as complicated as higher grades would've been and the enrollment process was surprisingly short. With a smile and a wave, Ellie disappeared beyond the doors leaving Erza behind fidgeting nervously.

Ellie was her _niece_ and it was only a _handful of hours_ but she couldn't shake the anxiety in her stomach. The idea of leaving behind her own child for months on end... Erza decided to just add that to the pile of things she didn't understand about her sister.

In the back of her mind she wondered when she'd run into Jellal again. _How much_ she wanted to see him annoyed her a little but not enough to stop wondering.

* * *

Under Ellie's watchful eye, Erza sorted through the piles of things she'd brought down from the attic. Going through her mother's belongings had been put off long enough. The house was hers now and she wanted to know what was in it. She startled when her elbow knocked over a stack of floral printed picture boxes. A hodgepodge of photographs fanned out across the floor. Ellie hopped down from her perch on a sea chest and began to pick through them curiously.

"Is this _you_ Aunt Erza?" She held up a picture of a red haired girl in a statuesque pose. The girl was clad in an elegant black and silver tutu. Erza took the photo and laughed.

"No, that's your mom. _She_ was the dancer. I couldn't turn a pirouette to save my life." Ellie's eyes widened as she inspected the picture again. Erza held out another photograph. "This one's me."

"You look so happy," Ellie murmured. Her eyes slid critically from one photo to the other before setting them both aside to scan the remainder still scattered on the floor. "How come my mom isn't smiling in any of these?"

"Well..." Erza frowned and shuffled through another box. Surely there was at least _one_. "Eileen was very _driven_. When she wanted something she didn't really see a whole lot beyond that. I guess she always had her eyes on something else." _Anything else_ was more like it.

"So it wasn't _me_ that made her sad?" Ellie gazed up at her.

"No, sweetie." Erza reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of the girl's eyes. "You couldn't _possibly_ make anyone sad. Your mom just has a very one-track mind."

Ellie went back to digging through the pictures. Erza began to scoop them up in handfuls and returned the majority to the box. It would take forever to sort them all but her niece was engrossed and deserved the indulgence. At the bottom of the stack was a wider box with gilt gold edges. She already knew what was in it but couldn't stop herself from digging in graveyards better left untouched.

Everything at the wedding had been white. Erza hated white but wanted to please Simon. Her sister had worn black just to spite her.

"Your dress was so pretty," Ellie whispered. She pointed to the man at Erza's side. "Who's that?"

"Simon," Erza said quietly. "We used to be married." Ellie pulled a photo from her own stack and held it up next to the one of Erza's wedding. They stood in a group of four. Simon, Erza, Eileen, and Jellal.

"Is this him, too?" She pointed to the serious-faced boy at the left most edge of the picture.

"Yeah, that's him. This was taken the summer before my last year in high school. Your mom had just graduated and was about to leave town. She begged to throw this party and of course –" Erza sighed at the memory. "Eileen _always_ got her way."

"You look so much alike," Ellie said still staring at the picture.

"We did, yes. When we were your age, we pretended to be twins just to fool people."

"Who's this?" Ellie's finger pointed to the right side of the picture – the opposite side of Simon. _This_ boy had a bright smile that was contagious even in a photograph.

"That's Jellal," Erza said in a breath. "He was a good friend of mine back then."

"But you married the other guy?"

Erza frowned. "Uh, well –"

"Do you think my dad is in any of these? Was he from here, too?" she interrupted, thankfully moving on to the next subject. Erza couldn't answer the question without admitting she didn't actually know who Ellie's father was.

"I'm not sure, sweetie." She wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Why don't we take a break for lunch, okay?"

"Okay."

Erza stood and stepped over the mess of photo boxes. She glanced back over her shoulder to see Ellie sliding the group picture into her pocket.

* * *

The wind chilled her through several layers of clothing but Erza sat outside all the same. She turned the warm paper cup filled with coffee around in a circle and stared at her feet through the glass tabletop. The chair across from her scraped against the concrete and her eyes slid up.

"One of these days we'll have a _planned_ meeting," Jellal said with a smile. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," Erza said. "I could use the distraction."

"What's happening in the Land of Scarlet?" he asked, taking a seat. "I heard you enrolled your niece in public school."

"How do you know that?"

"Teachers are terrible gossips," Jellal said in a low, conspiratorial voice.

"I see." She couldn't stop the slow smile from creeping across her lips. "Ellie's doing fine. She seems to enjoy it, which is good."

"If I recall correctly, both you and your sister were very social creatures."

Erza chuckled. "Eileen more so than me, but yes. If I wasn't so angry at her I'd say she's much better suited to acting than dancing."

"Still no word from her, then?"

"Actually, yes." Erza grimaced down at the tabletop. "She called last week during the day when Ellie was in school. She isn't coming back. I guess when mom died she was in the process of signing over custody."

"And..." Jellal ducked his head and peered at her. "She wants _you_ to take up that mantle?"

"Yeah." The anger resurged and her nose wrinkled. "I just can't believe it," she rambled. "I mean, I _should_. Eileen has always been so self-absorbedand now she has this great kid she isn't even interested in!"

"I'm sorry, Erza."

"I don't even know what to say to Ellie, either." Erza sighed heavily and tried to work up a real smile. "I'm sorry for dumping on you."

"Well, I _did_ ask and it sounds like you needed to get all that out."

"Thanks, Jellal."

"You're always welcome, Erza. Gracefully fielding your irritation with Eileen seems to be my superpower."

Erza finally laughed. "So tell me what you're doing here. Don't you have better things to do besides story time at the library on a Saturday morning?"

"Apparently not." He smiled at her and Erza felt some of the early spring chill dissipate. "Is Ellie inside?"

"Yeah. I think they have another twenty minutes or so. She's on an independence kick and wanted to go alone."

"Listen, Erza," Jellal's expression was painfully open. "I know it's been a long time, and I know the last time we saw each other back then things were –"

 _"Tense?"_ she offered.

"Yeah, tense." For the first time he frowned. "Why did you marry Simon?"

Erza's face felt warm and her heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected such bluntness. "Because he asked." Her answer felt hollow – which didn't surprise her because the entire marriage had been hollow from start to finish.

"That's a hell of a reason, Erza."

"He loved a person who didn't exist. I thought it could be enough but it wasn't."

"How badly did things end?" he asked carefully.

"Well –" Her lips twisted into an ugly smirk. "Let's just say he met someone else before telling me he wanted out."

"Ah." Jellal nodded slowly. "I'm sorry."

"Some mistakes take longer to unravel than others. I'm not bitter or angry at him."

"There's that at least."

"What happened between us, Jellal?" Erza asked around a hardening lump in her throat. "We were so close and then one day we just started fighting. I was very angry when you left on that scholarship before talking to me."

"I think maybe you know what happened," he said too quietly. "I should've just been honest with you."

"I think we both owed each other more honesty back then." Erza swallowed the impending tears when she saw Ellie approaching from inside the library. "Listen, you should come over for dinner."

Jellal blinked in surprise. "Wow, Erza, you can still give me the most brutal conversational whiplash."

"Do you have plans tonight?"

"No, but –"

"Good," she interrupted. "I'm sick of wasting time." Erza stood and tossed her empty coffee cup in the garbage. She left Jellal still gaping at the table to steer Ellie in the opposite direction.

* * *

Ellie jumped when the doorbell rang. She looked up from her coloring book and cocked her head to the side in a very _Eileen_ way.

"Is that our company?" she asked in an excited whisper.

"I think so." Erza set aside the folded napkins and followed Ellie to the front door where she promptly yanked it open. The cold outside air mixed with the aromas wafting from the kitchen.

"Am I on time?" He asked with a smile.

"Right on time," Erza replied. Ridiculously, she'd been worried he would bail at the last minute. Ellie stepped aside and let Jellal into the house. He didn't even have his coat all the way off before she opened her mouth.

"I know you," she said. "You're the smiling boy from the picture!" Ellie pulled a wrinkled photograph from the front pocket of her dress and held it out. Jellal surprised Erza by kneeling down in front of Ellie and taking the photo.

"That's me," he said smiling brightly at Ellie. "I'm a lot older now, huh?"

Ellie studied his face before looking back at the photo. "A little. Can I ask you an important question?"

"Sure." Jellal glanced up at Erza quickly.

"Are you my dad?"

Erza sucked in a surprised breath. "Ellie –"

"It's okay if you're not," the girl went on. "I just wondered."

Jellal smiled warmly as if he hadn't been asked the most awkward kind of question possible. "I'm afraid I'm not your dad, but we can still be friends if you want."

"Yeah, okay." Ellie stuffed the photo back into her pocket. "I guess that's fine." The little girl turned to Erza and gave her a thumbs up before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Wow," Erza whispered. "I am so sorry."

"It's fine, Erza." Jellal stood and hung his jacket on the rack. "She's been through a lot. Does she really not know her dad?"

"I don't know who he is, either. Eileen isn't exactly forthcoming with information." Erza flustered at how close he stood in the small entry way. "I had no idea she was contemplating potential fathers. She surprises me sometimes."

"That little girl is _definitely_ a Scarlet."

"She is," Erza said with a smile. She turned to lead Jellal to the kitchen but he stopped her with a hand on her elbow.

"Since we're starting things out on an honest note this evening I want to say something." Jellal's hand slid up her arm and into the hair that hung over her shoulder. "I was in love with you when that picture of Ellie's was taken. I should've said so back then but I didn't. I'm sorry."

Erza's face felt hot but she couldn't let the momentum go to waste. "I loved you too," she blurted. "I married Simon to get over you. It didn't work."

Jellal's hand slid through her hair and around her shoulders. "Let's stop being sorry, okay? Like you said earlier today and I'm sick of wasting time, too."

"Okay. No more, then." Erza smiled and without further preamble kissed the edge of his jaw. Jellal's eyes were wide when she grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hallway.

"I think maybe surprising behavior runs in your family."

"Probably," she said with a backward glance.


	28. Shopping With Meredy

_**"Anonymous asked: Imagine Person A of your OTP is a single parent with an adopted child. One day they go shopping and Person A spots Person B from the other side of the store, and Person A is not able to look away. Then, Person A's child asks why they're staring at Person B, then without an answer, goes up to them and smiles innocently, "Hi there Mr/Miss! My mommy/daddy thinks you're really pretty/handsome!" Making Person B smile and look up to see a very flustered and embarrassed Person A."**_

 _ **I've never actually been inside of a Justice store but I'm assured it's just as bad as all this.**_

* * *

 **Shopping With Meredy**

* * *

Everything about the store felt completely alien. The shelves and displays were all pink and white and stacked with clothing just as garishly bright. Sparkling belts, bags and other accessories lined the walls and the overhead lighting threatened to bring on the worst kind of headache. Sugary pop music blared from hidden speakers and for a brief moment he considered turning around and walking right back out. An insistent tugging on his wrist brought Jellal's train of thought to a halt.

 _"Hey!"_ Meredy scowled up at him in a very _Ultear Way_ and planted her hands on her hips. There were times when she looked so much like her mother it startled him. Not that his cousin ever sported the same wild pink hair or girly girl tastes but the _facial expressions..._ Jellal cringed when she poked him in the ribs. "Are you paying attention?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry. I've never been... _here_ before and it's a little off-putting. Are you sure this is where you want to shop?"

"Of, course," she said with a disbelieving shake of her head. "This is my favorite store."

"So you've been here before?"

"No! But I've been to their website and it looks _amazing!"_

Jellal's eyes swept over the store again. "Right. Amazing."

Meredy dragged him through a maze of racks and shelves to paw through a mess of skirts on hangers. He had absolutely no clue what to do with himself but she needed new things for school and there was no getting around shopping. None of the clothes she'd brought with her had fit right and until he had a proper list of sizes, online stores couldn't be trusted... which is how he found himself in the bizarro world of _Justice For Girls_ on a Saturday afternoon three days before she started school.

In a sea of electric-colored _everything_ there was a flash of red and Jellal's eye snagged on something incredible. The woman was inspecting a display of lotions and body sprays. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the way she twisted a strand of her absolutely _spectacular_ hair around her finger.

 _"Jellal!"_ Meredy's voice snapped him out of an embarrassing trance.

"Hm? What?"

"Here," she said as she shoved an armful of clothes at him. "Hold these."

"Wow this is... a lot..." Jellal shifted the load in his arms and glanced at the fluttering tags. It wasn't the prices that boggled his mind – he'd expected to drop a small fortune – it was the wide array of sizes. "Uh, hey, Meredy?"

"Yeah?"

"You've got about four different sizes here. I don't even think these will fit you." He held out a skirt with a waistband as wide as her shoulders.

"Well how am I supposed to know what size I need unless I try them all on?"

"What size do you wear now?"

"I don't know! My mom always took care of that." Her eyes fell to the floor and she awkwardly fidgeted with the hanging clothes.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to –"

"It's fine. We'll just have to figure it out on our own," she said quietly and returned to browsing through the racks. Jellal couldn't stop himself from glancing back to the redhead. She was now testing body sprays on her own arm. "It might help if you stopped staring at that lady."

 _"Excuse me?"_ Jellal squawked.

"That girl with the red hair," she pointed out casually. "You've been staring at her."

"I have not!"

"My mom always said you should never lie to kids, Jellal. Go talk to her if you think she's so great." Meredy scrutinized the woman in a way that made him uncomfortable. "She's pretty but... her hair's a little too red."

Jellal snorted. "It's _not_ too red."

"So you like red, then? Is that your type or whatever?" She went back to sliding the t-shirts decorated with weirdly colored animals and flowers across the metal rack.

"I'm not talking about this with you," he said with an attempt at a firm voice.

"Why not?"

"Because you're _eleven_ and hopefully know nothing about _types_ and _romance_ and all that."

"So you're into romance and not just –"

"Meredy!" Jellal hissed. _"Can we not?"_ When she looked up at him the expression of defiant determination lodged a hard knot in his stomach. Without another word Meredy spun around and made straight for the woman. Jellal's feet refused to move. He watched with mounting horror as Meredy gently pat the woman's arm and smiled.

"Hi," she said in a deceptively sweet voice. "My cousin thinks you're pretty and can't stop staring at your hair. Can you go and talk to him so we can finish shopping? I think we'll be stuck here all day if you don't." Meredy pointed in his direction and when the woman turned toward him, Jellal wanted to sink into the floor. Worst of all, he couldn't look away when her face flushed pink.

Jellal's arms tightened around the mound of clothing he still clutched against his chest. The woman looked back down at Meredy.

"Sure, but first maybe you can help _me_ out. Which one of these do you like better?" she asked with a smile and handed over two bright pink bottles for Meredy to sample. Unlike the woman, his too-clever cousin snatched a couple of scent cards from the display and tested both of the sprays. She returned one bottle to the woman and replaced the other on the shelf with a wrinkled nose.

"Florals are always better than citrus," Meredy said with a nod. She then boldly took the woman's hand and pulled her back toward him. "Hey you're going to wrinkle these!"

Jellal didn't protest when she pulled the pile of clothes from his arms and straightened them to hang in her hand. The woman smiled at him and every word he might have said flew right out of his head.

"Hi," he muttered. Meredy sighed irritably.

"I'm gonna try this stuff on," she declared and disappeared into the dressing rooms. The woman finally laughed and held out her hand. Jellal stared at it.

"I'm Erza."

"Jellal." He finally took her hand but couldn't quite bring himself to let go. "Sorry about my cousin. She's a little overwhelming sometimes."

"Little girls can be that way." She smiled at him and he felt his face heat up. "It's nice of you to take her shopping, though."

"Well," he began awkwardly. "She's kind of my... ward? I guess? I mean, I'm her guardian. There's really... no one else..." Jellal cleared his throat. He was rambling.

"It's still very sweet of you. I'm sure a lot of guys would've just sent her in with a credit card."

"That would probably create more problems than it would solve," he said with a laugh. "We're still working things out."

"Well it seems like you're off to a nice start." She was standing close enough for him to finally notice how many different body sprays she'd tested on herself.

"Do you have a daughter too or –"

Erza chuckled and he decided he loved the sound. "No, I'm here looking for a birthday gift. I uh –" She rubbed her wrist on the leg of her shorts. "I may have gone a little overboard with the scent. I didn't even notice the cards. I'm sure I smell terrible now."

"Not at all! You smell great."

"Thank you," she said turning pink again. "I –"

"Well, it turns out I wear a size eleven," Meredy announced as she emerged from the dressing rooms. She eyed them both with raised eyebrows and Jellal realized – to his embarrassment – he was still holding Erza's hand. He released it immediately and shoved his own hands into his pockets.

"Pick out whatever you want, Meredy. I don't think your shoes fit too good either." He nodded down at her feet and Meredy's face fell.

"I don't know what size shoe I wear. This is so hard."

"Hey no!" Horrified at the prospect of tears, Jellal pried the clothes from her hands and directed her back to the racks of clothing. "One thing at a time. Clothes first, then shoes. It's fine. We still have time! Don't cry, okay?"

Erza touched Meredy's shoulder gently. "Measuring your feet is the easiest thing in the world. It's a lot less work to find out your shoe size than clothes."

Jellal watched the smile crawl across Meredy's face. She nodded and went back to pick out more size appropriate clothing.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

"You're welcome. Little girls her age can be a mess of emotion sometimes. I remember being twelve once, too."

"She's eleven but that's close enough."

"It is."

Jellal heaved a breath. "Listen, do you maybe want to grab coffee sometime? Or –"

"Yes," Erza interrupted. She promptly turned an even darker shade of pink. "I mean, uh, I didn't mean to assume you were asking me out or anything."

"I was." He smiled widely.

 _"Good,"_ Meredy cut in. She shoved another pile of clothing into his arms and held three shoeboxes against her own chest. "I'm glad you two have worked things out."

Meredy surprised him by reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. She handed it to Erza who quirked an eyebrow.

"What's this for?"

"Go ahead and get your number in there. I'm starving and this is taking forever."

For the second time that day Jellal wanted to fall into a hole in the floor. By the time he and Meredy left the store he had a painful credit card receipt for a few hundred dollars, a headache from the toxic cocktail of body spray, and Erza's phone number.

He would send a text later and apologize for Meredy's forwardness but Jellal couldn't bring himself to actually be upset with her.


	29. Stray Bullets

_**"Anonymous asked: New Erza art has me thinking about a mafia princess Erza with a Jellal bodyguard! What do you say? XD"**_

 _ **The art isn't so new anymore... sorry I'm a slow poke.**_

* * *

 **Stray Bullets**

* * *

The house was dark and a familiar sense of mild alarm settled low in his gut. He didn't like leaving her but when Makarov Dreyar called, Jellal answered – with a _quickness_. His eyes swept the yard and clusters of shadows lurking around the front door and under the windows before tapping the remote attached to the sun visor. Halogen light flooded the driveway as he eased into the garage. After waiting for the garage door to roll back down again he armed the security system and entered the house.

A yellow glow from the kitchen spilled into the hallway but Jellal didn't start his inspection there. He prowled through all three bedrooms, the living room, dining area, and bathrooms before feeling satisfied they were alone. The patrol down the street wouldn't move on until he verified the house was clear via text. Confirmation came immediately and he finally closed in on the kitchen.

Even in the low light Erza was stunning. She stood with one hip braced against the counter, swirling the ice in a lowball glass. When she set it aside he could see whatever she'd been drinking was now mingling with water.

"You're back early," she said quietly. Her gaze didn't stray from the row of windows lining the kitchen wall. Only the submerged lights of the pool illuminated the backyard. Erza didn't press when Jellal didn't respond. "Mirajane brought me dinner." She laughed oddly. "I feel like it should be me helping her, though. Everything considered. There's leftovers if you want."

Instead of taking the offer of food, Jellal went with a bottle of water from the pantry. He never drank alcohol – he couldn't afford to be intoxicated. He crushed the plastic bottle in his hand and tossed it in the garbage.

"That's recyclable you know," Erza said finally turning around. She wore nothing but the same variety of nightgown she always slept in – all silk and lace and straps with a hem brushing the tops of her thighs. Rumpled curls fell about her shoulders and he could tell she'd had just enough bourbon to dull her senses.

Jellal remained silent as he retrieved the water bottle from the trash and tossed it into the blue bin instead. His eyes slid to the locks on the backdoor before shrugging off his jacket. The shoulder holsters were never comfortable but the clothes he wore to cover them aggravated him even more. Erza eyed him closely before finishing off her glass and leaving him in the kitchen.

Low light fanned from beneath her bedroom door and Jellal left her to it. She was a melancholy drunk and when she was ready to fire off all her questions about the meeting, Erza would come to him. Chasing her was never wise.

Ever vigilant, he checked his weapons before leaving them on the dresser top. With much less ceremony, his clothes were tossed in a heap near the closet. The day had been long and all he wanted was a shower. Hot water on tense muscles was his panacea – _mostly_. Jellal was not surprised to find the source of both his final release of the day, and every ounce of tension, stretched across his bed when he returned from the bathroom. She didn't smile.

"How much longer?" Erza asked.

"Until it's safe," he responded, digging a fresh pair of boxer shorts out of the dresser.

"That's not a descriptive answer." Jellal had been with her long enough to recognize a pointed statement when he heard it.

"It's the only one I have."

"And Laxus?"

"He'll live." He could feel her bristling behind him. "I'm sorry I don't have more to tell you, Erza. You know I would tell you if I could."

"Laxus is safe but not me?"

"I don't make the rules." Jellal tossed the towel aside and pulled on the boxers. He turned around. "The FBI won't leave this alone for a while."

Erza's face fell and she deflated. "I'm just worried about my family," she whispered.

"I'll take you to see Laxus tomorrow," he offered lamely. "That's the best I can do for now. And you know –"

"Guards everywhere, I know. One day maybe..." she trailed off and sat back on her heels. "Never mind."

"You don't have to say it. I understand." Jellal stood at the edge of the bed and watched her worry her bottom lip. The fringe of scarlet hair that framed her face fell in her eye and his fingers twitched. He waited for her to crawl across the mattress and stretch up to wrap her arms around his neck. The silk of her nightgown clung to his still-damp chest as she pressed herself against him.

"I don't want any of it without you," she whispered. "Even if I could have a new name and a new life, I wouldn't leave without you."

Jellal finally brushed her hair from her eyes and traced the letters inked into the skin just below her left shoulder. Erza hadn't asked him before getting the tattoo and he supposed he should be grateful she'd chosen a word like _Love_ instead of his name. As she always did, Erza plowed forward with no warning – and this night was no exception. She kissed him with a desperate force and as his fingers dug into the warm silk clinging to her waist he returned the kisses with equal intensity.

He didn't stop her when her hand slid below the elastic of his boxers nor did he resist when she pulled him down on top of her. They'd only been on his body for a fleeting moment before the underwear ended up on the floor. Jellal wouldn't dispose of her nighty so quickly, though. He preferred to peel it off her slowly.

Starting with the bottom hem, he began to inch the lace trim upwards revealing the top inches of her smooth thighs. Jellal placed a kiss on each one before exposing her stomach. As he'd expected, Erza had forgone panties. She huffed in annoyance when he skipped over the place he knew she wanted his kisses the most. When he had the folds of silk bunched just below her breasts, Jellal settled between her legs. He could feel the heat of her against his stomach and wondered how long she'd tolerate his teasing.

Erza ran her fingers through his wet hair. "I missed you today," she said softly.

"Was my temporary replacement unsatisfactory?" he asked nudging the nightgown halfway over her breast with his nose.

"They weren't _you._ "

"Two is better than one in my absence." The tip of his tongue circled her nipple and he blew gently across the peak. Erza's fingers tightened in his hair.

"You're a tease."

"I've had a very long day," he said finally pulling the nightgown over her head and tossing it behind him. "Forgive me if I don't want to rush the happy ending."

Erza groaned when he finally slid the rest of the way up her body and kissed her. Her wetness lingered on his stomach. She wrapped her legs around his waist and arched her back. The tip of him entered her slowly and Jellal pulled the soft skin of her neck into his mouth. His hand closed around her breast and squeezed.

Jellal knew Erza better than anyone else in her life – he understood every toss of her hair, every jut of her hip, every irritated tap of her fork against a dinner plate at a family meal. And as such he could sense her peak before she was even aware of the climb. When Erza came, she was glorious. Her eyes slid closed, her chin tipped upwards, and her hair tangled against the sheets. He took in every detail.

If he tried Jellal could probably pinpoint the exact moment he'd stopped being _just_ Erza's bodyguard but it seemed irrelevant. Every day he stood between her and any number of carefully trained bullets – being the granddaughter of a well positioned criminal made her a likely target – and he'd take every last one of them if it meant her safety. Erza often hinted at a life far away from all of this but Jellal knew they'd never have it. People like them weren't allowed peace. They were trapped in webs made by those around them. In her heart, Jellal knew she understood. Laxus breathing through a tube in the hospital was a brutal reminder of everything at stake.

They never said, _I love you,_ but the way she would look up at him when he tapped her elbow before entering a room was loud enough for everyone to hear.


	30. All That Glitters is Inexperience

_**"Ajerzaaddict asked: How about model Erza is doing a promotional photoshoot for a jewelry shop (or simply for a magazine) and Jellal is the responsible photographer, based on Mashima's latest Erza doodle on twitter? Thanks."**_

 _ **'Responsible photographer' Hmmm... Again I'm sorry I'm so slow with these. The Erza art isn't really new or the latest anymore.**_

* * *

 **All That Glitters is Inexperience**

* * *

Jellal picked over his lenses and sighed. He was supposed to be on his couch eating cold cereal in his underwear and enjoying his day off watching whatever garbage television his DVR recorded instead of the documentary on nature photography he'd lined up – at some point this next week he needed to complain to his cable provider about the faulty equipment. But instead of _any of that_ he was preparing to photograph a bunch of boring jewelry for a promotional catalogue. _One day_ , he told himself, _one day_ he'd be crouching in the tall grass waiting to snap a tiger stalking it's prey. Jellal sighed and stood. Until he could afford to live the dream he'd be stuck taking Ultear's leftovers – the Sunday afternoon jobs she didn't want.

He turned away from his carrying case... and nearly gaped. Only the sheer force of professionalism kept his mouth from falling right open. A nearly naked woman, partially covered in still-wet temporary tattoos, stood at the end of the showcase table. Her scarlet hair was being fluffed by one assistant and another aimed a handheld fan at the glistening tattoos. The woman's eyes were closed but her eyebrows dented slightly in irritation. He noticed, a little too late, that her arms were crossed over her chest and Jellal wondered if it was too late to walk away. Nudes were not his favorite subject.

With his camera in one hand he fished his phone from a back pocket. Ultear needed to know this was unacceptable. The woman's eyes snapped open and she looked right at him. Jellal startled and dropped his phone – even though the screen was probably cracked now he figured it would be a less expensive fix than a broken camera. Her arms tightened almost imperceptibly around her chest and Jellal cringed internally. The shoot hadn't even started yet and he'd made the model uncomfortable. Abandoning the idea of complaining to Ultear, he shoved the phone back into his pocket and collected himself.

Upon closer inspection – something he should've noticed earlier, _photographer indeed! –_ Jellal realized the set could not possibly have been anything other than a model shoot. The woman swatted away the assistants and approached him. She cleared her throat awkwardly before opening her mouth to speak.

"You aren't Ultear," she said with the same irritated furrow of brow. "They promised me a female photographer."

"Yes... I mean _no_. No, I'm not Ultear. She asked me to fill in today." The model's frustration deepened. "Ah, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable a moment ago. I didn't realize there'd be a model."

She continued to scrutinize his face and frown. Jellal didn't quite know what to do and felt completely responsible for the tension. When she finally spoke again her tone was softer.

"Will I have to wear the heels?"

"Well –" Jellal glanced over the trays of glittering pieces. He knew from Ultear's email which were the most important and which were for glamour. The information made a whole lot more sense now. "I think we could get away with only a few shots that show your feet so you don't have to wear them all afternoon."

For the first time since he'd seen her, the model smiled. With one arm still steadfastly covering her breasts she held out her hand.

"I'm Erza, by the way."

"Jellal," he said returning her smile. "We can start when you're ready."

Erza poked at one of the tattoos and her finger came away dry. "I think I'm ready. Give the assistants a moment to position and clasp things."

He nodded and turned his eyes back down to his bag full of lenses. At least he'd managed to patch things up with her. Maybe the day wouldn't be _terrible_.

Jellal rarely worked with his own assistant – partly because his jobs were never very complicated, and also because he wasn't exactly well known enough to employ one. All that aside, though, he preferred to adjust his own lights and angles. Time spent on retouches could be cut blessedly short if he applied himself more thoroughly during the shoot. The silk upholstery of the chaise would need to be toned down later but there was nothing to be done about it now.

When Erza returned her fingers were decorated with rings and her wrists with an array of bangles. The gems around her neck were supposed to be the focal point of the photo but she seemed a little unwilling to remove her arms from across her chest. She blushed and Jellal felt terrible – her inexperience was showing.

Since he'd taken his love of photography down the professional route he'd only worked with fully nude models twice, and semi-nude women seemed to come with the territory. Jellal was of the opinion that breasts were breasts and in a professional context they weren't any more special than elbows. He couldn't say that to Erza, though. She'd likely be offended and they'd be back to square one.

Without touching her, he directed her into several poses that did not involve a direct line of sight. More so than the elegant curves of her body or the way her – probably very expensive – panties clung to her hips, Jellal's gaze gravitated to her hair. Strands of the most beautiful shade of red he'd ever seen curled around her shoulders and dipped down over her eyes.

When the sun began it's descent and the lighting shifted, Jellal knew she'd have to finally move her arms.

"Just a couple more of these, and we're done," he muttered motioning for her assistant to adjust the fall of the last set of jewelry. Erza pursed her lips and hesitated before dropping her arms to her sides. A chorus of angels could've descended from the heavens to sing the praises of his relief. She had silicon pasties. How new was she that full coverage nipple stickers made her feel self-conscious?

By the time Jellal packed away the last of his lenses and uploaded the photos from the camera to his laptop, evening approached. An employee from the jewelry shop arrived to sign for the cases and Erza's assistants showed themselves out.

"Excuse me," she said quietly behind him. Jellal ducked under the shoulder strap of his bag and turned around. The tattoos were still on her skin but Erza now wore a summer dress and the first real smile he'd seen all day. "I just wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"Uh, for not being a jerk today. I think it's pretty clear how new this kind of thing is to me and you were incredibly professional. So... thanks."

"I admit it's obvious you're a –" Jellal cut off with abrupt embarrassment.

"A... _what?_ "

"Well, I was going to say _noob_ but realized too late that rhymed with _boob_ and... Jesus I'm sorry. Maybe my professionalism was left in the jewelry cases."

Erza shook her head solemnly before bursting into laughter. "I'm glad it was you today and not anyone else, even if I still plan on murdering Mirajane for not disclosing the topless part until last minute."

"Mirajane _Strauss?_ " Jellal's eyes widened. He suspected Ultear probably bailed when the much more well known model subbed in someone else.

Erza smirked. "Yes, she's my roommate. I've never done anything other than clothing ads, and only when I had a cash gap. She promised me a woman photographer and then you showed up."

"I see. Well, I guess we both got screwed on information. I only skimmed Ultear's email this morning and didn't realize there'd be a model at all much less an inexperienced topless one."

She blushed again and completely without a single thought in his head, Jellal reached up to brush the fringe of hair from her eye. Erza didn't shrink away. The moment was ruined by a loud rumbling from between them. Her face flushed darker, even though he was pretty sure the growl had come from his own stomach.

"I guess I forgot to eat today," she apologized and clutched the strap of her bag. "I was too nervous for breakfast or lunch."

"Maybe you could let me make it up to you for being weird this morning. I'll buy you dinner." All of the implications of taking his model for the day out on a possible date flooded his mind. He didn't want to be _That Guy_. "You don't have to," he added quickly. "It's just an offer. I would never assume –"

"I'd like that," she said with a grin. "Maybe with all your experience you can give me some tips on how to get these tattoos off before I go back to work tomorrow. My boss will have a fit."

"I'm sure we can figure it out." Jellal held the door open for her and shamelessly took in the scent of her floral shampoo as she walked past him.

Later he would discover that the screen of his phone was not only cracked, but shattered.


	31. For the Record

_**"theobssessivetsundere asked: Hi! Can you do a fic where Jellal asks Erza which is much more important to her. Him or her beloved strawberry cake. Lolll"**_

 _ **This doesn't need much explanation.**_

* * *

 **For the Record**

* * *

Jellal found the lid to the garbage bin sloppily stuffed on top of an impressive – or alarming, depending on one's point of view – pile of crumpled cake boxes. Resignation solidified in his mind and Jellal realized he should never have solicited a promise from her in the first place. He sighed and prepared himself to enter the house.

The kitchen was suspiciously immaculate. Erza smiled at him and placed the final cup on the drying rack. Her eyes were a little _too_ bright. The kind of brightness that accompanies relief to have not been caught doing something much worse than washing dishes. She dried her hands on a dish towel and crossed the sparkling kitchen floor to embrace him.

He closed his eyes and focused on the feel of her in his arms. It had been a week and that was eight thousand six hundred and forty minutes too long. Now that he had a home – and a wife who would probably not be able to fit into her current wardrobe much longer – he didn't like leaving it.

"How are you feeling?" Jellal asked before pressing his lips to the crown of her head.

"Fine! I took a nap after lunch and I feel great!" Erza hugged him tighter before reaching for his hand. "We don't have to stay in the kitchen," she said casually. "The living room would probably be more comfortable for you. I bet you're tired."

"I'm kind of hungry actually," he hedged.

"Oh?" Erza exclaimed in a high pitched voice. "Why don't you go and relax and I'll make you something."

"No, that's okay. I can manage." Jellal attempted to step past her and Erza's fingernails dug into his arm.

"It's perfectly fine, Jellal. I really don't mind." She wedged herself between him and the refrigerator. "You've been on the road and I doubt you want to rummage around for food."

Jellal reached past her and wrapped his hand around the handle of the door. "I'm not tired at all. You should be the one resting. Pregnancy is exhausting from what I hear."

"Uh –" she glanced around wildly.

"So what did _you_ have for lunch, by the way? Did you eat here? The guild?"

"Well –" Erza cleared her throat and fidgeted with the neckline of her dress. He tried not to notice that her waistline wasn't the only part of her that was expanding. When she didn't finish her sentence, Jellal gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I already saw the garbage bin, Erza, and I have a good guess what's in the refrigerator." She looked up at him guiltily before stepping aside.

"I really tried, Jellal," Erza whispered. "But I can't help it. _All I want is cake."_

As expected the racks were full of various boxes and pans of cakes waiting to be devoured. He sighed and closed the door.

"Erza, this can't go on. It's not healthy for you _or_ the baby."

Without warning she burst into tears and clutched at his sleeve. "I know! And I promise I tried! It's just that everything else smells funny now and cake is my favorite! Please don't be mad at me!"

"I'm not _mad,_ " he insisted, swallowing a chuckle. Her dramatics had turned the situation comical. "But I do have to ask."

Erza sniffled but kept her face hidden in his shoulder. "What is it?"

"Which do you love more? Me or the cake?" She suddenly pulled away and stared at him in horror.

"Are you really going to make me choose, Jellal?"

"Is it such a hard choice?"

"But –" Erza's eyes brimmed with tears again and Jellal realized the joke had missed it's mark. He smiled and wiped away her tears before kissing her softly.

"I'm sorry. That was a joke."

"It wasn't funny," she murmured.

"It sounded better in my head."

"For the record," Erza said wrapping her arms around his middle. "I guess if I had to pick between you and cake... it would be you. Cake goes bad too quickly.

"A fair choice." Jellal's fingers slid through the strands of hair that had escaped her bun.

"While we're asking questions," she added with a coyness. "I think I'd like to know which _you_ like more... _me_ or my _hair?"_

His hand froze. The conversation had suddenly turned decidedly unfair.


	32. Subtle Distractions

_**"Scarletmayhem asked: Can you write a one-shot where Jellal proposes to Erza? Could be canon or au"**_

 _ **I admit this isn't something I'm great at so I hope it's okay!**_

* * *

 **Subtle Distractions**

* * *

She hated bringing work home but at semester's end Erza felt guilty making her students wait too long for their mid-term grades. There was a stack of folders awaiting her critical eye across from her on the bed and another – much shorter – stack of graded folders on her end table. Erza thought maybe if she could get through at least a third of them per night she could have everything done before the weekend. A chuckle and tug on the end of her ponytail drew her attention.

"Hey," he said with amused humor. "Earth to Erza."

"Hm?" She tilted her head toward him but didn't look away from her work.

"Break starts soon, huh?"

"Yeah..." she muttered scribbling a note in the margin.

"Are we with my family this year or yours?"

"Mm –" Erza tapped her pen against the page only half paying attention to the question. "Yours, I think."

"I'm considering asking for an extended vacation this next summer while you're off."

"Oh?"

"Yep. Maybe take a long trip."

"Where?"

"I haven't thought about that part yet."

"Is that smart?" Erza asked absently. "Requesting vacation time for a trip you haven't planned or reserved, I mean." She marked the cover page, tossed the folder in the graded pile, and reached for another. A quick glance through the content and it was obvious she'd have to take off several points for sloppy formatting.

"Maybe not." The mattress shifted and Jellal scooted closer to her. "I did want your input, though."

"I just gave it. Probably check into what's available before requesting time off."

"Not on the destination, Erza."

She sighed. "What then?"

"Well, trips of this kind often come with various labels."

"I don't know what you mean. Are you trying to tell me you want to take a sabbatical?"

Jellal laughed softly. "No, not a sabbatical."

"I'm confused." Erza frowned down at the paper. Not only was the formatting all wrong but the font made her head hurt.

"Marry me," he said. Erza's pen froze over the page. She finally looked over at Jellal to find him grinning at her.

 _"What?"_

"Marry me, Erza." He pulled something from the pocket of his pajama pants. The ring glittered in the lamplight of their bedroom. Her mouth fell open and Erza found herself at a total loss for words. Jellal only continued to smile at her. "I thought about asking you in at least ten different ways – some more elaborate than others – but then I realized you probably didn't care about any of that. You've never been much for pageantry."

Erza's chest felt too heavy for breath and she blinked away her surprised tears. "But –"

"Do I need to get down on one knee and sing you lines of poetry?" Jellal brushed a stray wisp of hair out of her eyes. "Shall I count all the ways I love you?" Finally, Erza snapped out of her stupor. She shoved the pile of folders off the edge of the bed and leaned against his chest.

"Don't you dare put me through all that, Jellal." She bit her lip in a grin and plucked the ring from his hand and slid it on her finger.

"So is that a yes?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"You _think?"_

Erza pressed him into the pillows and traced the shape of the tattoo on his face before kissing the bottom tip.

"Yes, I'll marry you," she answered. The scattered folders of ungraded papers could wait.


	33. A Series of Fortunate Events

_**"Vanro-marand asked: hello, I love your work your so talented can you pleas do a AU where Jellal is a foster father to kid versions of present crime sorciere, and Erza is the new social worker assigned to them. -thank you"**_

 _ **I'm gonna need readers to suspend a monumental amount of disbelief in adoption and foster parent law/procedure for this one. Even so, I had to tinker with the prompt a little but to make the story work, and I hope that's okay.**_

* * *

 **A Series of Fortunate Events**

* * *

Jellal stepped out of the courthouse and held the door open for Miss Scarlet. She slid a pair of sunglasses on her face and smiled at him.

"Well, this is it, I guess," she said glancing over at the playground across the street. "I'm glad your sitter was able to make it today."

"Yeah, she took the afternoon off. Erik and Angel are only in pre-school until about ten and having them in the court room would've been... _problematic._ "

"It really helped that you were able to enroll them all in school so quickly."

"Honestly, I feel like this whole thing has moved at the speed of light."

"Let's chalk it up to an understanding judge and a well cared for daughter as an example."

"And an extraordinary social worker, no doubt."

"Ah, well," Miss Scarlet trailed off and her cheeks turned pink. "I just wanted you to be successful. You've got a couple of difficult kids in your pack... but I'm sure _anyone_ could've worked things out with the right navigation," she added quickly.

"I doubt that very much, Miss Scarlet."

"You uh –" She flicked a stray bit of hair from her face. "You can just call me Erza now. Your case is closed and everything is official."

"I see." Shouting from across the street snagged Jellal's attention.

"You don't _have_ to..." Erza awkwardly shifted the messenger bag on her shoulder. "I mean, we'll may never see each other again after today."

"No?" The shrieks of the children dissolved into laughter.

"Probably not unless there's a problem later. Even so, it may not be me assigned to you."

"Oh." Jellal couldn't keep the disappointment out of his voice. In the past year he'd grown used to Erza's presence in their lives. He didn't actually think _any other_ social worker would've been able to help his new family adjust the way she had. His daughter from a previous marriage had grown attached to her, as well. Meredy was clingy, though, and had a tendency to gravitate to any woman in her life. A younger sister and four brothers was keeping her occupied well enough... _for now._

He wished he could see Erza's eyes beyond the sunglasses. There were a lot of things he probably _shouldn't_ throw out there but _wanted_ to.

"I should... probably go..." She cleared her throat but didn't make any moves to leave.

"I'll walk you to your car," he offered. As they walked across the parking lot all the things he wanted to say to her rattled around in his head.

 _Thank you for being my support system._

 _Thank you for everything you've done for my family._

 _Thank you for making the impossible, possible._

 _I don't know if I can really do this by myself._

 _Is it okay to say that I like you now?_

 _Especially your hair and can I please touch it?_

 _Don't go!_

Erza pulled her keys from her bag and dropped them once before actually getting them into the car door.

"So, I guess this is it," she said softly. "Unless..."

"Unless?"

Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag and she exhaled heavily. "Listen, it would've been thoroughly unethical of me to say so before but I think I'll regret it if I don't say anything now."

Jellal's eyebrows flew up as he watched her fluster over her own words.

"Mister Fernandes, I have a very unprofessional attraction to you. I don't want to drive away today and never see you again. It would be very... upsetting."

"Then don't. I like you too."

 _"You do?"_ Her face turned a darker shade of pink and she recomposed herself. "I mean, that's... good. Great, even!"

Jellal stepped into her side and reached over to push the sunglasses up over her head. She gazed up at him with a small dent between her eyebrows.

"Yes, I do like you. I never would've jeopardized your job or this case, though. Those were my priorities."

Erza sighed and took his hand in hers. "Did you come from another planet, Jellal Fernandes? Men like you don't really exist on this one."

He laughed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're the kind of guy who only exists in books. You're a single father and volunteer firefighter who pulled a bunch of straggler kids out of a burning house and decided to raise them yourself – which, by the way, is a mess in and of itself. I'll be honest, your case was doubtful in the beginning."

Jellal grinned and shoved his free hand into his pocket.

"But _then_ it turns out you have some kind of trust fund from your parents who died in a horrific boating accident at the hands of a deep pocketed commercial fishing organization! You can probably afford ten nannies but you _don't hire them_ because you want to see to the kids personally. You're a genuinely good person. I see a lot in my line of work and do you know how rare that is? Honestly, Jellal, are you an alien or what? Are you Batman? Please tell me you haven't been hiding a superhero suit and a vendetta against shoddy seamanship."

"None of that, I promise. I just... know what it's like to not have anyone. Is that enough? For _you,_ I mean."

She smiled up at him and squeezed his hand. "Yeah, it's enough."

"You should come by tonight."

"Should I?"

"Well, I don't think I should kiss you in the courthouse parking lot. My case may be closed but let's not push the envelope."

Erza pulled her sunglasses back down over her eyes and tossed her bag into the passenger seat. "Tonight, then."

Jellal stepped back and watched her slide into the driver's seat. He'd never believed in fate before but after the events of the last year he thought maybe he believed in luck.


	34. Sweet, Sweet Denial

_**"Anonymous asked: can you write something in which erza is in denial of liking jellal? (i've been watching too much hercules and "i won't say i'm in love" came on"**_

 _ **My favorite trope. Denial and finally caving in.**_

* * *

 **Sweet, Sweet Denial**

* * *

Erza scrubbed at the tabletop with a more than necessary effort. Silverware clinked together raucously as she tossed the pieces in the tub. Glasses tapped against one another with a dangerous force. At this point the dock on her paycheck for the broken tableware would be worth it if her frustration ebbed even the slightest.

She delivered the tub to the kitchen and yanked hard on the spray nozzle. Her finger slipped and instead of a sink full of suds, Erza ended up with a wet front. She wanted to cry. Everything that had once been safe and solid was now shaky and confusing.

"Are you trying to scorch all your skin off or what?" Kagura's hand closed around Erza's arm and yanked her back. "You're supposed to use the cold water, too, you know!"

Soap suds caught in her hair when she pushed a loose strand behind her ear.

"Right," Erza muttered.

"What's your deal lately?" Kagura aimed the nozzle down into the sink and evened out the temperature. Erza's hands twisted in the front of her uniform – she didn't like the way her friend's eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"I'm fine. Just distracted."

"Is this about Jellal? Honestly, Erza your unresolved sexual tension with him is going to be the death of us all."

"You're exaggerating."

"You almost just burned your own hands off." Kagura said dryly. "Tell me again how I'm exaggerating."

Erza huffed and shoved her hands beneath the soap bubbles and grasped at plates to scrub. "I'm fine."

"I don't see what the big deal is." Kagura joined her in dishwashing with a shrug. "Just fuck him and get it over with. Make him wear a condom, though. Jellal seems like the type to have enterprising sperm."

"What do _you_ know about sperm?"

"Nothing, and hopefully I'll never have to find out," Kagura said with a dramatic shudder. "You need this, Erza. You're driving me crazy skulking around acting like this is something worth the effort when _everyone_ already knows –"

"What do you mean _everyone?"_ Erza asked with wide, horrified eyes.

"Literally _everyone._ This weird thing you have going on with Jellal where he openly flirts with you and you act like you aren't totally into it is exhausting."

"I'm _not_ into him."

"You _are._ And frankly, you need to let _him_ get into _you_ before I shove you into his bed myself."

"That's disgusting, Kagura," Erza said, affronted. "You're disgusting."

"No, I'm practical. Get a hold of yourself." Kagura stacked the clean dishes and dried her hands on a rag.

"Hey, Mira's locking up for the night. Are you two just about done?" The person in question poked his head into the room. Jellal's eyes flit back and forth between Erza and Kagura waiting for one of them to speak up.

"Yeah, we're done." Kagura threw the damp rag in Erza's face before slipping past Jellal.

Erza pulled the rag off her face and aggressively dried her hands while trying to push back a fierce blush of embarrassment. Jellal smiled and strode towards her. She froze when he reached up to swipe at the messy bun that had been falling lower and lower.

"You've got soap in your hair," he said softly.

"Sorry," Erza whispered awkwardly.

"Why are you sorry?" Jellal laughed and pried the rag from her hands.

"Because there's soap in my hair."

"Don't be." He slid even closer to her and glanced up at her hair again. "I've always wanted to touch your hair. The soap gave me an excuse."

Erza pursed her lips and tried to focus on her irritation. "Has anyone ever told you that you're a terrible flirt?"

"Only you, and all the time," he said not slacking on his grin at all.

"Why me?" she blurted. "You could –"

"Because I like you," he interrupted with a shrug. "You get this cute little wrinkle between your eyebrows when you scowl at me. It's irresistible." She didn't stop him when he fully entered her personal space.

"But –"

Jellal's face suddenly became serious. "Tell me to back off and I will, Erza. I'll stop." When she didn't answer his smile faltered. He stepped back a few inches and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Wait," she breathed. Erza's hands shot out and grasped the front of his uniform shirt. "I don't want you to stop." His grin returned at a slow crawl and his fingers traced over her jaw and neck before he ducked his head and stole a kiss.

Erza's heart raced and everything felt hot. She let him pull her against his chest and her arms somehow slid around his neck. Kissing Jellal was a befuddling experience and when he pulled back without warning, Erza took several seconds to recover. Kagura's voice rattled like marbles in her head.

"Hey, love birds, can you maybe take that to your car or something? It's late." Erza's face burned hotter. Jellal only laughed and took her hand. Despite her muddled thoughts she did manage a half-assed glare in Kagura's direction before allowing Jellal to lead her away – hopefully to a place more private where he would kiss her again.


	35. Running Lines

_**"Anonymous asked: I'm playing the villain and you're the hero but the director considered having me play your lover halfway through rehearsals because aPpAreNtlY I not convincing anyone that I hate you. theater au"**_

 _ **It's been a long minute since I did theater in school. I've forgotten technical terms and just about everything. I got a gold ITS seal on my diploma though. Maybe that counts for something?**_

 _ ****Please see Chapter One for an updated note on requests and rules. Thank you!**_

* * *

 **Running Lines**

* * *

 _"Stop!"_ the director yelled with familiar exasperation. "Let's just... let's break for lunch. Erza, can I see you in the pit for a second?"

Erza's face burned. She glanced up at Jellal still crouched on one of the temporary blocking props. He grinned and shook his head. As hard as she tried _not_ to notice, her eyes still caught on the dimple in his left cheek. Jellal chuckled softly before hopping down and vacating the stage with the rest of the cast. Kagura rolled her eyes, mouthed the word _Hopeless_ , and followed him out of the auditorium. With her script nervously rolled in one hand, Erza carefully slid down into the orchestra pit.

She'd never wanted to do theater to begin with. Sure the idea of costumes and beautiful sets and delivering heart stopping lines in front of a riveted audience was exciting... but Erza was painfully aware of her debilitating stage fright. Kagura had insisted she needed to get a hold of herself and move out of her comfort zone but Erza was on the brink of a breakdown.

The director was a tiny man. He wasn't as overbearing as many college-level thespians were portrayed in fiction but he had an intimidating thousand yard stare.

"Erza," he began with a sigh.

"I'm really sorry Mister Dreyar!" Her words tumbled from her lips with very little filter. "I'm trying, I promise. It's just that I –"

Makarov Dreyar held up a hand and Erza brought her babble to a halt. "I know you're trying. I know you have your lines down and if you weren't such a fidgeter you wouldn't need to still carry your script." Erza's eyes stung and she stared at her shoes. "It's just that I don't believe you."

"I don't understand," she whispered.

"You're the villain in this story but you have no conviction. No one believes for a second that you hate the hero and want him dead."

"But... well..." she spluttered, trying to cobble together a reasonable defense. Makarov held up his hand again.

"I know it's a little late in the game but I'm considering switching you with Miss Mikazuchi." Erza's eyes widened and her mouth felt full of cotton. Makarov sighed and flipped through the pages of his own script. "You're, quite frankly, a terrible villain, and Kagura's portrayal of a woman in love with a man..." He shook his head. "Well, that's not really on point either."

"That's because she's gay," Erza blurted.

"I had _no_ idea," Makarov deadpanned. "I don't know why or how the two of you decided theater would be a good fit but here we are. You're all I've got and it's too late to bring in fresh blood."

"So –"

"Kagura is my new villain, and you're the hero's love interest. Think you can handle the new lines and blocking?" Erza watched him pull a thermos from his bag.

"Uh –"

"Good. Now off you go. Get some lunch so you don't faint when Jellal touches you."

"Right," she whispered, suddenly feeling dizzy. Erza dashed off and only glanced back once when he began muttering to himself about community _college_ theater and how much better it was than _community_ theater. She thought it sounded more like a pep talk than an admission.

Kagura was waiting for her in the hallway with a paper bag and two drinks.

"Well that took long enough. I'm starving. Let's eat outside."

"We have to switch scripts," Erza said, taking one of the cups and following her friend toward the doors.

"I figured as much. I'd much rather have your part anyway. The lover doesn't suit me." Kagura settled under one of the trees in the courtyard and pulled two sandwiches from the bag. She shoved one toward Erza. "You should eat. If you pass out on stage when he kisses you, I won't drag you to the hospital."

Erza stared at her sandwich. She felt ill.

"What's the matter with you?"

"I can't do this," Erza whispered.

"Do you not like ham? It's all they had left."

"Not the sandwich! I can't... I mean, I can't... Uh –"

" _Good grief, Erza!_ You've been making heart eyes at Jellal for the last three weeks and now that you don't have to pretend you want to kill him, you're freaking out? Honestly, this is the best thing that could've happened! You get what you want and I don't have to kiss a guy. Everybody wins."

"But what if he–"

"What if _what?_ You do realize he's into you, too, right?" Erza blinked in confusion and Kagura rolled her eyes dramatically. "Just talk to him for fuck's sake."

"I guess I have to now."

"First, though, you need to eat that sandwich. I'm serious about not bothering with you if you pass out on stage."

"You're _such_ a good friend."

"You're damn right I am." Kagura finally smiled and Erza's shoulders felt lighter. She could do this.

All of her anxiety returned in full force when Jellal was waiting for them just inside the theater building. Kagura smirked and rushed into the auditorium leaving Erza alone with him.

"I'm told you're my new leading lady," he said with a grin. Once again, Erza's eyes settled on the very corner of his mouth where her favorite part of his smile peeked.

"Uh, yes. I'll have to learn everything new..." she trailed off and found herself wishing she had a something to twist in her hands.

"Don't worry about it," he said easily. "I'm sure you can do it. I can help you if you want. Most of our scenes are together."

"Right," Erza breathed. Jellal stepped closer to her, brushed the hair from her shoulder, and leaned in to speak privately in her ear.

"To be honest, I'm happier this way. Now I don't have to worry about flirting with my nemesis." Erza's cheeks were stuck in a permanent blush. Jellal's arm slid the rest of the way around her shoulders and she couldn't stop herself from tucking into his side.

She didn't have to wait for the script to tell him to kiss her. He did _that_ all on his own.


	36. A Placere

_**"Anonymous asked: au where jellal is a piano virtuoso?"**_

 _ **The title is a musical term meaning "at [the musician's] pleasure"**_

* * *

 **A Placere**

* * *

Ultear Milkovitch crossed her legs at the ankles and smiled at the journalist across from her. She folded her hands in her lap and pretended that the empty seat next to her was nothing but a flub – not _her_ flub, of course. Ultear never appeared as anything less than absolutely flawless.

"It's good to see you again, Ms. Milkovitch," the journalist said with an eager expression. "Are we just waiting on the talent then?"

Ultear smiled graciously. "Mister Fernandes won't be joining us this afternoon. I'll be taking your questions, if that's alright?" The statement was framed as a question but her tone did not imply the man sitting opposite had any say in the matter at all.

* * *

 _Jellal's hand slid over the smooth skin of her thigh. Her body arched into him and the late afternoon sun tinted her hair an even more brilliant red than he was used to. The black cocktail dress was so perfectly suited to her, he hated to take it off but still swept Erza's hair to the side and slowly tugged the zipper down the curve of her spine all the same._

 _She turned her head to the side and smiled. The earrings he'd brought her on his last appearance in Magnolia glittered. He pressed his lips to the spot just behind her right ear. Erza sighed._

* * *

"Ah..." the journalist trailed off and glanced over his notes, trying to hide his irritation. "Is he rehearsing for the show tonight? I thought for sure –"

"Mister Fernandes is indeed preparing for this evening's performance. He requires a good deal of rest after an international flight." Ultear's smile twisted into something sly. "Surely these aren't the questions you had planned, Jason."

"No, I'd just hoped we'd get to see him in person. I understand the music we'll hear tonight is new."

* * *

 _He pushed the leather bound portfolio off the edge of the bed and smiled when Erza's fingers found his belt buckle. Her dress fell to the floor and pooled at her feet. Perhaps with the right bribe she could be convinced to wear the heels this time._

 _Jellal did not fail to note that beneath the black dress, she wore the palest pink lace lingerie. The shade was almost invisible against her skin and he could think of nothing other than getting her out of it._

* * *

"Yes, this music was written specifically for Mister Fernandes. His singular talents have always attracted the attention of up and coming composers but Vidaldus stood out amongst the crowd."

Jason scribbled furiously in his notepad. "I see. Will he be in attendance this evening, as well? I imagine he'd want to be present for the first public performance of his music. Especially at a venue such as this."

Ultear laughed patronizingly. "No, he's a very eccentric man and has declined to be present. He simply wanted to gift his music to Mister Fernandes. There isn't another pianist with his skill in the whole of the world right now."

* * *

 _"Jellal," Erza breathed into his neck. Her perfectly polished fingernails dug into his shoulders and her legs held him prisoner between them – not that he minded at all. He kept time with the metronome in his head that never stopped, never let up. The only sound that drowned out the ticking was Erza's voice._

 _His fingers tangled in her hair and he almost closed his eyes –_ almost _but_ didn't _. His world was dark without her and he'd only be in Magnolia for three days. Jellal would take in every second. He kissed between her breasts, the line of her jaw, the apple of her cheek, and finally her lips. The life he led was a constantly changing backdrop of cities, stages and hotels, but Erza's lips always tasted of peppermint._

* * *

"I've heard rumors of otherworldly dexterity. Tell us how he does it. Is it simply hours of practice or was he born with magic in his fingers?" Jason tapped the pen against his chin.

"Mister Fernandes has been playing the piano since he could reach the keys. He has a mind for music and I suppose you could say his hand-eye coordination is pretty magical." Ultear's smile faltered only for a moment. She stuffed away the impulse to smirk.

* * *

 _Erza's grasp on his arm was damn near painful. His fingers brushed over the spot just above where he entered her. He traced a repetitive pattern on her throbbing center and smiled when the most beautiful music he'd ever heard fell from her lips._

 _Jellal kissed her with a desperate force as he nearly lost all sense of the ticking in his head. She wove her fingers through his hair and whispered in his ear just loud enough to drown out the sound. When he came it was with total abandon._

* * *

"What's his schedule like?"

"Mister Fernandes is constantly busy. He doesn't take many breaks," Ultear said with a brief shake of her head. "As you know, he's in high demand all across the world. This next summer will be the first hiatus he's taken since the performance in Crocus three years ago."

"Ah, yes. That was his first solo set. Did you expect him to have such fame so quickly?"

Ultear smiled shrewdly. "Of course I did. I've been with Mister Fernandes since he first played for me at The Tower Conservatory. He was a little rough around the edges back then."

"He was fifteen when he was accepted to The Tower. Students of such a young age are unheard of."

"True, but Jellal was special."

* * *

 _"I've missed you," Erza said softly. Jellal's fingers twirled strands of red absently._

 _"I always miss you," he replied. "Sometimes I wonder how much this is even worth to me anymore."_

 _Erza propped her chin on his chest. "You'd miss it. I know you couldn't walk away with the music still in you."_

 _He frowned. "Sometimes I wish I couldn't hear it anymore."_

 _"The tempo?" She asked with a sad smile. Erza reached up and brushed the messy hair from his forehead. "It's still there?"_

 _"It's always there." Jellal caught her hand in his and kissed her palm. "It only ever quiets when I'm with you."_

 _"Flatterer." She laughed and pressed her ear to his chest. "Is it in time with your heart?"_

 _"No," he said sliding his fingers between hers. "I think it's in time with yours." Jellal frowned again. He didn't want to harp on the morose when he never had very much time with her. "That's the only way I can sleep at night."_

 _Erza gazed up at him again. Her eyebrows furrowed worriedly. "Jellal –"_

 _"Come on tour with me next winter. We can spend the summer together and see the world covered in snow." Her eyes didn't leave his as she slid up his body and kissed him. He tasted sadness._

 _"I can promise the summer," she whispered against his lips. "But the winter I'll have to work on."_

* * *

Ultear tapped her fingernails on the polished bar. She glanced at the wall clock again and stifled a sigh of irritation. A familiar head of scarlet hair glided through the hotel lobby and was escorted to a waiting car. _Finally._

"Bourbon, neat," a voice beside her said.

"You missed the interview," Ultear clipped, turning to Jellal.

"And I'm sure you handled it with perfect grace and aplomb," he shot back accepting the glass from the bartender.

"Since when do you drink before a performance?"

"Since today." Jellal still hadn't even so much as looked at her. Ultear bristled.

"Erza is a bad influence on you."

"Nope, that would be _you,_ Ultear." He knocked back the shot of whiskey and slid the glass across the bar along with a hefty tip.

"The limo is waiting, Jellal. Let's go."

He waited until they were on the move to drop his bomb. "I asked Erza to join me on tour next winter."

"Well, that sounds like a fantastic idea," Ultear muttered scrolling through emails on her phone.

"If she can't come, I'm not doing it."

Ultear's thumb froze. _"Excuse me?"_ she drawled in a low voice. "Those dates have been booked for a year. You _can't_ –"

"She said she'll let me know," he interrupted smoothly. "So I'll be sure to pass that information along when I find out."

"Jellal –"

"I'm tired, Ultear. I won't be your project forever." Jellal stared out the tinted limousine windows at the city lights of Magnolia. Ultear sighed. She knew better than to argue with him.


	37. Morning Aria

_**"Anonymous asked: Note to self: Never sing in the shower EVER again, my cute neighbor just sarcastically applauded me"**_

* * *

 **Morning Aria**

* * *

Erza threw open her patio door and sucked in a lungful of the crisp late summer air. She loved autumn but there was a small window at the end of summer when she could appreciate the very best of both warm and cool. By the time she stepped into the shower there was a trail of pajamas leading from the patio door to the bathroom. Every second of her day off would be spent enjoying the world.

When the hot water pelted her shoulders, she couldn't stop the happy sigh from bubbling over. Her fingers worked the shampoo in her hair and Erza's eyes slid closed. She opened her mouth and the song that had been earworming her for days came belting out. The sound echoed off the tile walls and she was still humming the tune as she wrapped a fluffy towel around herself.

The patio door sat wide open when she fell into a repetitive murmur of the chorus and dropped bread slices into the toaster. A delicious breeze caressed her skin and as her breakfast cooked she wandered back out onto the patio.

"That was absolutely stunning." a voice from next door said with humorous sarcasm. She froze. "Care for an encore?"

Erza spun around and clutched at the front wrap of her towel. Her neighbor lounged in a chair with his feet propped up on the guardrail. He grinned and Erza's face burned.

"Should I clap?" he asked tilting his chair backwards against the wall of the building.

"You- you shouldn't be eavesdropping! It's incredibly rude!" she sputtered.

"It's hardly eavesdropping when your door is open and you're voice is as loud as it is." His grin widened. "Is it your day off, too?"

"Uh, yes." Erza's hand suddenly tightened in the towel and she scowled. "Not that it's any of your business!"

He winked at her and folded his arms behind his head. "You should shut your back door next time, then. I'll miss the serenade, though. And that amazing smell. Is it your soap?" Erza huffed in astonishment. "My apologies, Miss Scarlet."

She inched back towards the door noting that he didn't look sorry at all. "I'll accept your apology. _This time._ " Erza spun around and stepped back into her apartment. Oh why, why, _why_ did it _always_ have to be him? The previous week he'd caught her fetching the mail in her pajamas and now _this?_

Her toast popped up and Erza jumped. She could hear him chuckling from outside. One of these days she might be able to speak to him dressed in normal clothes and not blushing like a school girl.


	38. Of Bento Boxes and Green Scrubs

_**"Anonymous asked: you're a doctor and my friend has been trying to get me to date so she fake-passes-out on the sidewalk to draw your attention towards us she's okay I swear" ft ergura brotp pLs"**_

 _ **There's not a whole lot I love more than Ergura brotp.**_

* * *

 **Of Bento Boxes and Green Scrubs**

* * *

"Well, it's about time." Kagura set aside her laptop and shoved a bento box across the picnic table. "I was just about to eat without you."

"I'm _so_ sorry," Erza said rabidly eyeing the food. "I got stuck with a needy patient and long-winded specialist."

"That sounds like a lovely combination."

"You have _no_ idea." Erza unwrapped her chopsticks and smiled. "You make the best lunch, Kagura. _This_ is why we're friends."

"It is one of the many reasons you need me, yes." Kagura glanced up and quirked an eyebrow at Erza's intense stare. She followed her gaze to a doctor having his own lunch alone a few tables away. "Who's that?" she asked pointedly.

"Oh, my god, Kagura, don't stare!" Erza gasped and focused back on her lunch.

"You mean like you were just doing?"

"No! I wasn't staring."

"You were."

"I was just... _observing._ "

Kagura smirked and picked at her rice. "So who is he?"

"He's new. He's..." Erza quickly stuffed a tamagoyaki in her mouth and avoided Kagura's eyes. "This is _so good_. How do you make everything _so perfect?_ "

"Nice try, Erza. Tell me about that doctor or I'll just –" Turned to slide from the table bench.

" _No, no!_ No, please don't go talk to him! He's a pediatric surgeon. His last name is Fernandes, he's new to the department, and he likes green scrubs. That's all I know."

"Does he have a ring?" Kagura asked, picking up her chopsticks again. "Not that such a thing matters."

"No, he doesn't," Erza muttered.

"I see." Kagura let her friend finish lunch in peace before gathering up the boxes again. "Let's go. I'll walk with you back to the building."

"Are you sure you have time?"

"Yep. My next appointment isn't for another hour and it's nearby." Kagura looped an arm though Erza's and focused on the doctor who was now gathering up the remains of his own lunch. "You need to get out more."

"I'm _fine._ "

"You're lonely."

"I'm _not._ "

"Then why do you have lunch with _me_ all the time, go home to frozen meals, and then distract yourself with work six days a week?"

"Well, I'm just..." Erza tensed as they passed the doctor's table. He glanced up from his phone and smiled. "Uh –" Kagura sighed loudly and suddenly collapsed next to Erza on the sidewalk. _"Kagura!"_ Erza knelt beside her brushed Kagura's hair from her face.

"You're welcome," Kagura breathed before shutting her eyes.

"Is she okay?" Doctor Fernandes grasped Erza's shoulder and pressed his fingers to Kagura's neck. "Does this happen a lot?"

Erza bit her lip and frowned. "No, actually. I'm pretty sure she's fine."

"You think?"

"Yeah. We were having lunch and this is a ploy to make me talk to you. I'm so sorry."

Doctor Fernandes laughed and offered his hand to help Erza up. "Don't apologize. You have a determined friend."

"Yeah, she's _something._ "

"I'm Jellal, by the way." He squeezed her hand and Erza couldn't stop herself from smiling at him.

"I'm Erza."

"Yeah, I know." He suddenly looked abashed. "I mean, I asked around. I've seen you and hadn't quite managed to actually talk to you yet. You're always having lunch with your friend and things can get stressful inside."

"Yes, they can." Erza glanced down at Kagura who was no longer even _pretending_ to be unconscious. She casually scrolled through messages on her phone as if she hadn't just made a scene and was lying on the ground.

"Maybe you'd like to grab dinner sometime? After your shift, of course."

"I'd like that," she said quietly. Jellal finally released her hand with a final squeeze and left her blushing in the courtyard. Erza fixed Kagura with a pointed glare. "That was so unnecessary."

"No it was exactly necessary." She held up a hand to Erza. "Help a lady to her feet. I have places to be."

Erza sighed and pulled Kagura up. "You can be so dramatic sometimes."

"And you can be stubborn. Let me know how your date goes."

"Sure thing," Erza mumbled. She couldn't be too angry at Kagura though. She had a date with the new surgeon – even if it had come at the cost of her embarrassment.


	39. A Binary

_**"Anonymous asked: one half of your OTP tries to make up constellations to look cool and the other half knows all the real ones and gives them a mini astrology lesson"**_

 _ **I enjoyed this one a great deal... even if I ended up doing more research than originally intended.**_

* * *

 **A Binary**

* * *

The sound of soft knocking startled him. Jellal spun around and nearly dropped his laptop.

 _"Erza!"_ He exclaimed. "What, uh... what are you doing here this late?" The observatory wasn't exactly a popular night spot. Jellal glanced at the time on his laptop screen – it was later than he thought.

"I went to catch up with you and Lucy after the restaurant closed and she said you'd left early to study up here." Erza produced a bag from behind her that smelled wonderful. His stomach rumbled almost painfully. "I brought you dinner. Lucy mentioned you skipped out on your free meal, too."

Jellal smiled sheepishly and set aside his laptop. "Yeah, I guess I wasn't thinking."

"You seem to _not think_ a lot lately," she said quietly handing over the bag. Jellal sighed and Erza felt guilty. "I wasn't admonishing you, Jellal, but I worry."

He took the food from her and closed his laptop. "You're right. I've been distracted. I'm turning into the old man," he said with a laugh. Jellal grabbed Erza's hand. "Come on, let's sit out on the deck."

The deck was nothing more than a smallish balcony on the north side of the building. It boasted a clear view of the residential part of town and the north sky. Erza poked a bucket of sand just outside the door with her toe.

"He's smoking again, huh?" she asked.

"Yeah, you know how he gets when he's onto something." Jellal sat crosslegged against the side of the building and tugged on Erza's hand. "I trust you to pull me back from the brink of total Mad Scientist mode."

"Let's start with dinner," she said with a smile. "That'll sober you up a little."

Jellal laughed and tried not to moan with delicious pleasure at the taste of french fries. "Are you implying science is a drug?"

"For people like you and my grandfather? _Yes._ " She leaned in boldly and whispered in his ear. "So try not to become an addict."

Jellal quickly turned his head and bumped her nose with his. "For you, _anything._ "

"Eat your dinner, you insufferable flirt," Erza shot back with a smirk. They sat in companionable silence until Jellal crinkled the bag and tossed it into the bucket. He'd have to remember to trash it properly or the professor was likely to set it aflame with an ill-snubbed cigarette butt.

"So Lucy ratted me out, huh?" Jellal swung his legs between the metal bars of the balcony.

"She did." Erza paused and eased her own legs out, as well. "You can cut back on hours, you know. No one would mind or fault you for it."

"I think I need the job, Erza. It helps me keep my mind... _mine._ "

"I understand." She made the decision to lean into him and rest her head on his shoulder. Jellal had been her friend for as long as she could remember but the _other stuff_ was coming at a slow crawl. "The stars are pretty tonight."

"I suppose."

"You _suppose?_ " She poked him in the side playfully.

"Well, sure, they're pretty. But beauty from afar is very cold and intangible. There's other, much more beautiful things close enough to touch." His cheek pressed to the top of her head.

Erza's face felt hot and she cleared her throat awkwardly. "I can see the Big Dipper."

"Did you know –" Jellal turned his head and spoke softly in her hear. "That the Big Dipper is only a small part of Ursa Major? In fact," he continued as he took her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. "The Big Dipper is called an _asterism_ , and isn't considered a true constellation. Ursa Major is the third largest constellation in existence."

"And what's the biggest?" she asked meeting his eyes.

"Hydra," he said easily. "It has a solid area of th–" Erza pressed a finger to his lips quickly and smiled.

"That's enough, Mad Scientist Fernandes." She touched his cheek and leaned forward.

"I knew I could count on you," he breathed before brushing his lips over hers.


	40. Business Call

_**"Anonymous asked: Hi! c: I was wondering if you could write about Erza being on an important phone call with her boss and Jellal starting distracting her with neck kisses etc. The choice to write a NSFW or not is yours :3 (hope you didn't write this already)"**_

 _ **I haven't! And I'm glad you asked!**_

* * *

 **Business Call**

* * *

Erza tossed her wet towel into the hamper and grabbed the bottle of lotion. On any other morning she'd be pulling on a skirt and buttoning a blouse for another day of meetings. Not today, though, no. _Today_ she would take her time. It was a rarity to share a day off with Jellal and she wanted enjoy every single second of it.

The mattress dipped when she perched on the corner and stretched a leg out to balance on the edge of the dresser. Small pleasures like lotion on smooth skin and a breeze from the window were her favorite. Summer was finally easing off and the curtains ruffled with crispier autumn air. Erza knew he was awake the moment the bed shifted and a pair of lips pressed against her shoulder.

"Good morning," he murmured. "You smell _great._ "

"It's just soap, Jellal," she said with a satisfied smirk. Jellal's hand circled around her waist and he pulled her back from the edge of the bed. Erza reached behind her and slid her fingers into his messy hair. His kisses reached the sensitive spot on her neck that made the hair on her arms stand up. She shivered and bit her bottom lip when his tongue flicked out.

"Come back to bed," Jellal whispered, his breath tickled the wispy hairs. Erza tossed aside the lotion bottle but before she could twist around, her phone sliced right through the mood. A shrill ring grated her ears and she scowled. "Leave it," Jellal said pushing her damp hair over the opposite shoulder.

"I can't," Erza whined trying to regain her senses.

"It's your day off," he countered. _"Leave. It."_

She debated until the very last ring before snatching the phone off the end table. "Hello?" she asked even though she knew damn well who was on the other end.

"Erza! I'm so glad I caught you!" Her boss's voice was exasperated. "I need the spreadsheets you were working on yesterday and I can't find anything!"

"They're on the flash drive I left for you," Erza said pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's in your right desk tray."

"Got it!" The sounds of rummaging could be heard and Erza stifled a sigh. "I just had a few quick questions about the formulas..." Erza's concentration was abruptly shattered when Jellal's hand tightened on her hip. He pressed his nose into the back of her neck and inhaled deeply. Her boss was rambling in her ear as Jellal's mouth pressed hot kisses to the curve of her neck and shoulder. His fingers moved from her hip to just below the waistband of her panties.

"Mm, you taste good too," he said before drawing her soft flesh into his mouth. Erza's eyes squeezed shut.

"...And the formula for the interest rates was rewritten before you left yesterday, right?"

"Yeah, that works," Erza breathed as Jellal's fingers dipped lower and she arched backward into him.

 _"Erza –"_ The exasperated tone was back. "Are you alright? I can't have the wrong numbers in this meeting today."

Jellal's teeth nipped at her neck and Erza inhaled sharply. His fingertips finally found her exact favorite spot and the phone call was nothing but a persistent echo.

 _"Erza?"_

"I'm sorry," Erza said as she grasped at the last bits of her control. "I'm not feeling well this morning. I need to go." She thought maybe she ended the call but wasn't completely certain as she let it slide from her hand and over the edge of the bed.

"That took long enough," Jellal whispered. He pulled her into his lap and took full advantage of the contact. His fingers entered her and his palm pressed against her firmly. With an unoccupied hand Jellal grasped her chin and turned her head to the side. "You're going to want another shower later," he said before taking her lips in a demanding kiss.


	41. The Inevitabilities of Being In Charge

_**"Anonymous asked: Something where Jellal ends up back on the magic council and has to help deal with Fairy Tail's antics? You can't escape bureaucracy, Jellal."**_

 _ **Poor Jellal. Let this guy retire. He deserves it.**_

* * *

 **The Inevitabilities of Being In Charge**

* * *

Jellal sighed heavily. Loudly. _And dramatically_. The papers strewn across the surface of his desk made his eye twitch. He often found himself on the very brink of wondering how he'd let this happen... but never actually posed the question. The answer would only add a headache to the eye twitch. Never in a million years had he expected to find himself wandering through the freshly erected columns and hallways of the Magic Council – much less occupying an office with a gold plate on the door that read: _Chairman Fernandes_. He remembered the exact moment his peace was shattered – the _exact_ moment.

The letter had arrived by official courier. Sealed with a dollop of wax and a sigil he recognized immediately, the fold of parchment sat on the table for a full two days before Erza grew impatient and tore it open herself. Jellal had simply shrugged and left her to it – he already knew what it said. Later, she kissed him on the nose and assured him he'd be perfect for the position. No one else in Fiore could possibly understand the need for a Magic Council – and how one should even be operated – more than him. Laxus clapped him on the back and bought him a drink.

"You can't escape bureaucracy, Jellal," Laxus said once they were both well watered. "Running this beast of a guild has made _that_ crystal clear. It'll be good for the guild to have you on the Council."

 _Good for the guild_ but _bad for his sanity_. Jellal didn't care to count the number of years it had been since he'd first sat as a councilman but somehow, over time, he'd managed to bury some key facts about Fairy Tail – or perhaps not _forget_ but remember through a different lens. Fairy Tail's tendency to leave behind a trail of destruction that damn near outweighed the success of a job had seemed... nominal when he was a younger man. _Amusing even! N_ ow it was anything but.

Fretting council members were constantly in and out of his office presenting invoices and complaints – some more formal than others – regarding Fairy Tail.

 _No, he didn't have a direct line to Laxus Dreyar's ear_ – he did.

 _No, of course, he couldn't 'have a word' with that chaos-monger Natsu Dragneel_ – he probably could.

 _Yes, the famous Erza Titania was his wife but no he could not possibly control her_ – the very thought made him want to take a nap.

And since he was sulking, what even were naps? A long gone past time that hazily teased him on trying afternoons such as this one. Memories of days spent half-dressed and draped over various pieces of furniture catching up on years of lost time with Erza were left to grow cold on the very back burners of his mind.

Jellal snatched the pen he kept just for official documents and began to scrawl his name on every one of the invoices, complaints, and reprimands. The sun was setting and he was quite finished.

* * *

Erza's weight over his hips drew him from a catnap.

"I'm home," she whispered as she pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw.

"I know," he muttered, filling his hands with her hips. "I've been expecting you all afternoon."

"Yeah? I missed you."

"I missed you too." Jellal paused and twisted a strand of hair around a finger. "Erza –"

"It was Natsu's fault," she interrupted. "He's out of control, Jellal. Laxus says he'll handle it." Jellal let her make the excuses and didn't push. They both knew Natsu wasn't the only one leveling buildings, and they both knew Laxus wouldn't do a damn thing about it. Because when it truly came down to it Laxus was just as tired as he was, and Erza knew exactly how to clear his head.


	42. A Box of Pieces

_**"Anonymous asked: Jellal and Erza work to complete a magic jigsaw puzzle that is blank until completed. The picture shown had definitely proved that it was worth it."**_

 _ **I had two choices with this. Cheese or sad. I came *this* close to going with sad.**_

* * *

 **A Box of Pieces**

* * *

"Why are all the pieces blank?" Jellal asked sifting through the oddly shaped bits of cardboard. "How are we supposed to know where they go without context?"

"Uh," Erza studied the box closely. "Well, the edges are still pretty obvious but the pieces that fit together flash red when they're close to one another."

"That's still not very helpful," he muttered picking out all the pieces with flat edges. If the puzzle hadn't been a gift from Lucy he'd be just fine with leaving it on a shelf forever.

"You aren't at all curious what the final image will be?" Erza smiled up at him and took the handful of pieces he held out.

"I'm a _little_ curious." Jellal sighed and glanced over the mess on their table. Gifts shouldn't be so much work.

* * *

The puzzle didn't turn out to be as straightforward as the instructions implied. Yes, the pieces flashed red when near their partners but not all the time. Both Erza and Jellal had to not only be working _together_ for the enchantment to activate but they had to be in an agreeable mood. If he was bored or Erza was impatient the pieces wouldn't flash at all and the efforts would need to be temporarily abandoned.

They'd been eating at the kitchen counter for a month when Jellal finally snapped the very last piece into place. With a flash of light and a poof of sparkle, a picture began to take form. Erza smiled and leaned into his side.

Jellal made a mental note to thank Lucy the next time he saw her.

* * *

Once completed, the puzzle pieces solidified into a solid print. Jellal had it framed and hung in the front room of their home. The purpose of the gift was multi-faceted. In working together Erza and Jellal lost themselves in the task, and upon completion they had a view from the outside in.

He didn't even remember the photo being taken. Perhaps that was because he had a hard time seeing past Erza and from the looks of it, she had the same problem. They sat on the riverbank side by side doing nothing but watching the water rush past. Her hair lifted in the breeze and a few strands had caught on his fingers. Jellal would've been embarrassed at having been caught so transparent but he supposed he'd never been all that great at hiding his feelings anyway.


	43. Purple Pajamas

_**"Anonymous asked: Person A and B of your OTP go shopping and Person B shows Person A their cute side."**_

 _ **Jellal is gonna be a great dad.**_

* * *

 **Purple Pajamas**

* * *

Jellal inspected the stacks of fluffy sleeper sets and tested each one for softness. He didn't know a lot about babies but he suspected they liked soft things. His own childhood had been a nightmare from one end to the other and he was determined to make sure his daughter had nothing but the best of everything.

He pulled a set of footie pajamas from the shelf and, after a quick glance around for lurking sales associates, peeked inside the jumper. The embroidered flowers to the left of the zipper had a rough backing. He didn't like it.

The next set of pajamas had a thick plastic zipper instead of snaps between the legs and he thought maybe that would chafe too much. According to Lucy, a baby's skin was very sensitive and Jellal didn't want his baby girl to be uncomfortable. He put it back.

A simpler set of purple cotton with a soft, brushed texture caught his eye. No rough layers of knit backing, no uncomfortably rigid zippers, just folded seams and tiny printed lambs. Perfect. He pulled two sets from the shelf.

"What are you doing over here all by yourself?" Erza asked peeking over his shoulder. "Pajamas?"

"I was just, uh, going over the variety." Jellal cleared his throat awkwardly, handed off the pajamas to Erza, and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I see." Erza glanced over the purple pajamas and smiled fondly. "Are the type of clothes she'll wear important to you?"

"No." He pursed his lips and self-corrected. "Yes, actually. They should be soft but absorbent in case she gets hot while sleeping. No scratchy edges or seams."

"You've put a lot of thought into this, then?"

"Well, you know, not a _lot_. Enough, I guess." Jellal turned to her. "Is that okay? Should I not be so concerned? Am I hovering?"

"No, Jellal, you're not hovering." Erza pressed her lips to his shoulder and sighed as she leaned into him. "Just one thing, though."

"What's that?"

"I don't think these are the right size." She held up the purple pair of pants and laughed softly. "At least I hope she's not this big when she comes out. I don't know if I'll survive!"


	44. When Not at Work

_**"Anonymous asked: Seamstress/Tailor AU plz! Love your writing by the way."**_

 _ **I hope this isn't too cheesy!**_

* * *

 **When Not at Work**

* * *

Erza's eyes zeroed in on the bolts of tulle. If she really applied herself, she could have everything organized by color before lunch. She ran her fingers over the spools of ribbons and beads and ruffles. They could do with a straightening too. In fact, the entire room needed a deep cleaning. A smug chuckle behind her set a frown on Erza's face.

"I know what you're doing," Kagura said.

"This place is a sty."

"No it's not. You're just fidgety because that guy is coming in today at three."

Erza snatched up an armful of spools. " _Mister Fernandes_ is a _big spender_ and a _customer_ and I'm _not_ fidgety."

"You are. And I know you know this, but _all_ of our customers are big spenders. They come to us for the sparkles and frill."

"Kagura –"

"But none of the others leave you a blushing, giggly mess. You _like_ him." Kagura made no move to help with the reorganization. She only continued to smirk from the doorway. "Do you think he even noticed how much the dress costs? Or how many ridiculous add-ons his daughter has him signing for? Because all he seems to do is stare at you in the gross starstruck way you stare at him."

"I'm sure he can afford it," Erza muttered, ignoring Kagura's last comment. He drove an expensive car and his credit card was black. She also hadn't failed to notice that he'd signed the initial order with a pen that had a hospital logo printed on it. He didn't add any pretentious titles to his name but she suspected he was a doctor of some kind.

"He's cute, I guess. For a guy. I mean, if that's your thing."

"Well, we can't all be lesbians, Kagura," Erza said under her breath.

"No, I guess not everyone is perfect. You're fine the way you are, though, Erza. I'd be your friend no matter what."

Erza tossed a glare over her shoulder and Kagura laughed.

"I'm kidding. Listen, you have to say something to him today or you might not see him again. This stunted flirting is sickening all on it's own but your mournful pining after they leave today will be unbearable."

"I will do no such thing. He's a client and I would love to have ten more just like him so word of mouth is important. I want to be _'the lady who makes the gorgeous dresses'_ and not _'the desperate seamstress'_ thank you."

"What's so special about his recommendation?"

"You know damn well prom dresses and bridesmaid dresses don't hold a candle to a quinceanera cost-wise. It's all fine and good to sell a matching set of four at two hundred a pop or a custom prom dress for maybe five hundred, but a quinceanera dress price can skyrocket easily. The Fernandes dress was almost three thousand and that's not even counting her court. So yeah, I'm not about to make him or his daughter uncomfortable because I want a date."

"You think he has a bunch of friends with daughters approaching fifteen? Come on, Erza. It's obvious he likes you too."

Erza gave up on the storage room and slipped past Kagura, who all but blocked the door. "If it's meant to be, I'll run into him outside of work."

* * *

Meredy Fernandes and her friend squealed over the dresses. They fluffed the skirts and fawned at all the glitter.

"These are _perfect_ , Miss Scarlet! _I love them!"_ Meredy continued to gush with her friend and Erza turned to Mister Fernandes.

"The other court dresses are in the bags. We can zip everything up and get them to your car today if you want."

He smiled down at her and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I'd appreciate it. With everything else that's gone wrong for this party, I'm really happy the dresses came out right." His cheeks turned her favorite shade of pink. "They're beautiful and Meredy clearly loves them."

"Thank you," she said feeling her own face warm. "I mean, you're welcome."

"I know what you meant, Miss Scarlet. My compliment stands. It's obvious why you came so highly recommended."

Erza smiled ridiculously and tucked a strand of hair behind an ear. "I'll just get a couple more garment bags. Excuse me for a moment."

She rushed out into the hallway and found Kagura leaning over the small counter that housed a laptop and a credit card machine. Her friend nodded to the bags already draped over the back of a chair. The dresses didn't take long to zip up and Erza felt anxiety building in her chest as she hooked the hangers one by one over the bar in the back of Mister Fernandes's SUV.

As she'd promised, though, work was work and Erza let him drive off with nothing more than a smile and a wave. Kagura shook her head in reprimand but said nothing more on the subject.

* * *

"I think I'm getting my teeth whitened," Kagura said from behind her pocket mirror. "I've always wanted to."

"It's not permanent, you know. Whitening is like every other cosmetic thing. Once you start, you can't stop."

"Eh, I'm okay with that." Kagura snapped the mirror shut and slid it back inside her bag. "I don't mind contributing to a dentist's new Mercedes fund as long as I get what I want out of the deal."

"Blinding white teeth?"

"Exactly." Kagura smiled wolfishly before taking a sip of her water.

"Alright. Enjoy your new teeth. Just promise me you won't go crazy and come back with new boobs or something."

"Please," she snorted derisively. "I would never. You can't improve on perfection."

* * *

The pin stabbed Erza in the finger when her phone's shrill ringtone broke her concentration. She pulled back quickly and inspected the tulle for blood. None could be found. At least there was that. The number wasn't familiar but Erza took the call anyway.

"Hello?" she said distractedly while rooting in the counter drawers for a bandaid.

"Miss Scarlet?"

"Uh, yeah, that's me." The only bandaid she could find was a bright blue dotted with pink hearts. With an irritated huff she tore it from the packaging.

"I'm with Creative Smiles and you're listed as Miss Mikazuchi's emergency contact."

Erza's heart skipped a beat. "Has there been an emergency? She was only in for a whitening!"

"Oh, no, not at all, Miss Scarlet. We were just wondering when you'd be by to pick her up post-procedure. She's ready any time. Did you need the address or –"

"Uh, I'm sorry? I'm afraid I don't understand. Why does she need a ride?" Erza scowled.

"Well, with procedures like these the patient isn't authorized to drive post-procedure and –"

"It's just a whitening, though. I didn't realize she'd need a ride." She glanced around the small storefront. Locking the doors mid-afternoon wasn't something Erza liked doing. There were no appointments to be missed – which is why Kagura scheduled her whitening today in the first place – but there was still work that needed to be done.

"I'm so sorry for the inconvenience, Miss Scarlet." The woman on the other end of the line had unflappable professionalism. "But I'm afraid we _will_ need you to pickup Miss Mikazuchi."

"It's fine," Erza acquiesced with a sigh. "Just give me the address and I'll be right over."

* * *

Creative Smiles was exactly the kind of dental practice she and Kagura had been joking about. The reception area was poshly decorated – even if small. A woman smiled at her from behind the desk.

"Are you Miss Scarlet?" she asked.

"I am. Is Kagura ready? I'm still a little surprised she needed a ride."

"Actually, Miss Scarlet, it looks like we made a tiny mistake –" the receptionist was interrupted by the door leading back to the patient area opening. Kagura, not looking at all like she'd been sedated and in need of a ride, smirked at her as she swept past. Erza's face caught somewhere between a frown and the sappy grin reserved only for the client who'd recently dropped several thousand dollars on fancy dresses for his daughter's quinceanera.

"Miss Scarlet! I didn't expect to see you here." His name tag said Doctor Fernandes, DDS.

"I'll be taking my break now, Doctor Fernandes," the receptionist blurted before disappearing around the edge of the counter and out the front door with Kagura.

"Uh," Erza tugged on the ends of her hair nervously. "I don't really know what's happening right now. I got a call about my friend but I think maybe this is a trap."

"I apologize. My receptionist can be intrusive at times."

"Well, I can relate. Kagura always has her nose in my business. I'm sorry for whatever this is."

"Please don't. It's hardly your fault." He smiled down at her and Erza found herself far too intrigued by the way he'd rolled up the cuffs of his button down shirt. She wrapped a strand of her hair around a finger and bit her lip. "Since you're here, though..." He paused and laughed softly. "Well, to be honest, I like you. A lot."

"I like you too." The words spilled from her mouth before she could stop them. His eyebrows shot up and the dimple in his left cheek deepened.

"I didn't want to make things awkward by hitting on you in your place of business like a creep."

Erza laughed. "I may have said something similar about flirting with clients to Kagura. And yet here we are in the same position only reversed."

"Well, technically, no we're not." He stepped closer to her and reached out to take the hand that still tugged at her hair. "You aren't my patient today, and I'm not your client."

"That's true." She thought her face must be almost as red as her hair by now.

"Maybe I could take you to lunch sometime?" His thumb swept over the backs of her fingers and Erza's heart raced. She didn't want to think of how long it had been since anyone had touched her at all.

"I'm free tomorrow between noon and three."

"Ah, tomorrow's no good. I have hospital privileges and tomorrow I'm on call for two extractions. Unless you'd rather have dinner."

"I was wondering about your pen with the university hospital logo on it."

"You noticed that?"

"I make detailed dresses, Doctor Fernandes, I notice a lot."

"It's Jellal. I don't make anyone call me Doctor Fernandes but patients and my receptionist when there's other people here. My dad was Doctor Fernandes."

"Call me Erza, then."

"Your name is lovely, by the way. It suits you. I've never seen scarlet hair like yours before." His fingers had slid between hers by now and she hadn't even noticed. She could get drunk on this man very easily.

"Thank you. And dinner is fine, too."

"Tomorrow, then?"

"Yeah, tomorrow," she nearly whispered.

Jellal released her hand and plucked one of his business cards from the display on the counter. He scrawled a number on the back and handed it to her. "That's my mobile number. My last commitment is at four in the afternoon. Call me anytime."

"I will." Erza took the card but nearly dropped it when her phone chimed. Her earlier scowl returned when she saw Kagura's text message filled with kissy face emojis. "I should go. My friend needs validation that her ridiculous plan worked."

Jellal laughed. "I'll let you get back to your day. I look forward to seeing you again, Erza." A beeping from his pocket drew his attention.

"That's just me. So you have my number too now. You can text me later if you want." Erza chewed on her lip again. "If you're not busy or anything," she added quickly. "I don't know how demanding your daughter is."

"I have no doubt she will be thrilled I've spoken to you about something other than dresses and I'll never hear the end of it. Meredy is... _perceptive._ "

The sound of the front doors opening and closing jarred Erza from the intimacy of the empty lobby. She smiled up at him, slid both her phone and his business card into her bag, and waved goodbye. When Erza made it back out into the parking lot she realized that Kagura hadn't even bothered to wait for her. The shamelessness of what just happened would've been annoying if it had been orchestrated by anyone other than her best friend.


	45. Jellal's Adventures in Speechlessness

_**"Anonymous asked: Jellal falls in love at first sight upon seeing Erza walking around the campus au pls. Tnx ^."**_

 _ **I will bang on the Annalogia = Jellal drum as often as I can.**_

* * *

 ** _Jellal's Adventures in Speechlessness_**

* * *

 _"Aw, Lucy, come on!"_ Natsu's insistent whine grated all over Jellal's nerves. If Lucy wasn't his cousin he didn't think he'd bother tolerating her boyfriend at all. "I was gonna sleep in on Saturday! Why do you always sign us up for these things?"

"You say that like it's a punishment." Lucy flipped through the packet of papers in front of her. Jellal didn't need to look up to know her eye was twitching. "And don't forget it was this same Saturday last year when you took Happy home."

"That was a fluke."

"It wasn't a fluke!"

The back and forth between Lucy and Natsu went on and on but Jellal tuned it out. He didn't mind volunteering at the animal shelter. Cats were his favorite and dogs were, well, _dogs_. Jellal would do it with a smile because Lucy asked him to and it wasn't as if he had anything better lined up.

In an all out shun, Jellal spun around on the picnic table bench and faced the courtyard. Students milled around like ants between panes of glass. His eyes fell out of focus and he leaned forward on his knees. The campus was nice but he was _bored_. Lucy insisted his apathy was due to a lack of stimulation but Jellal was certain that nothing on earth could compare to the stars.

Even with a lack of focus Jellal's eyes snagged on something. Something red. Something _interesting_. He blinked rapidly and his head tilted to the side. She wore a plain purple sundress and with every step her brilliant hair fluttered behind her. He stared with rapt fascination.

 _"Erza!"_ Lucy's voice rattled his brain. "Hey, Erza! Over here!" Jellal glanced behind him. Natsu was still pouting but had been placated with a package of crackers. Lucy leaned over the surface of the table and wildly gestured.

He didn't so much as _see_ the red haired girl approach but _felt_ her. She slid onto the bench next to him and Jellal felt more awkward than he'd ever felt in his life.

"Rounding up volunteers again?" Her voice was like cake. Jellal wasn't even a fan of cake but he suddenly wanted it.

"Of course!" Lucy chirped.

"Run away while you can, Erza," Natsu said between mouthfuls of crackers.

"Go get another snack, Natsu." Lucy snapped. She pulled a handful of change from her pocket and shoved him off the bench. Jellal couldn't take his eyes off the person beside him. Somewhere in the back of his mind a rational voice was screaming that staring was _rude_ and _weird_. "Anyway, we'll be at the animal shelter tomorrow morning and afternoon. I'd love it if you could make it."

"I suddenly have an endless string of free weekends," she said a little too quietly. "I'll definitely be there."

"Good!" Lucy's enthusiasm felt like over compensation even to Jellal's distracted mind. "And Jellal is coming too. _Right Jellal?_ "

His mouth fell open in shock when Erza turned to him. She smiled and he smiled and he could think of nothing else. The silence stretched awkwardly.

"Jellal is my cousin. I don't think you've met but I promise he can talk." Lucy said pointedly. Jellal felt the toe of her sandal poke him in the back from under the table.

"Yes," he managed, still trying to gather his senses. "I am Jellal and I can talk."

Erza's eyebrow quirked upward and her smile twitched into a smirk. "It's very nice to meet you Jellal." She leaned slightly closer to him. "Just between us, I think talking is overrated sometimes. Some people talk entirely too much."

"Yes, they do," he muttered. Her eyes were the most beautiful golden brown and he thought for sure they sparkled.

"Well, then," Erza said turning back to Lucy. "I'll see you guys on Saturday morning bright and early."

Jellal wanted to say something. _Anything!_ But his mouth just wouldn't work. Erza left him alone with Lucy. She snickered at him and he finally turned around on the bench.

"You're ridiculous, Jellal. I've never seen you fail at human interaction so terribly."

"Who was that? Is she your friend?"

Lucy smiled and leaned forward against the table. "That's Erza and yes she's my friend. If you weren't such a nerd, you'd have met her already."

"You didn't say you had a friend like _that._ "

"Well you can try again on Saturday. You'll have to make a real effort, one I know you're capable of, to make up for whatever took over that otherwise brilliant brain of yours just now."

"Erza what?"

"Erza Scarlet." Lucy hesitated and bit het lip. "Listen, though. She just had a nasty breakup a few weeks ago. Be nice."

"Wow. Her ex must be a moron."

"Yes," Lucy said firmly straightening her mess of papers. "Simon is a Grade A moron. I'm glad it's over between them, to be honest."

"Simon _Mikazuchi?"_ Jellal wrinkled his nose in distaste. "I can't believe a guy like that... I really need to get out more."

"I've been telling you, Jellal. You hide away in the science wing and miss everything." Lucy shoved the stack of papers into her bag. "I better go find Natsu. I'll see you on Saturday."

"Yeah, okay." Lucy wandered off in the direction of the vending machines and Jellal tapped the surface of the table in contemplation. He needed to have something better than ' _I'm Jellal and I can talk'_ before he ran into Erza again.


	46. On the Care & Keeping of Your Scientist

_**"Anonymous asked: Erza wants to cut her hair, but Jellal tries to give her reasons on why she shouldn't cut her hair prompt. Thank you author ! :D"**_

 _ **It is well known that I have a fetish with Jellal's fetish with Erza's hair. I do think that if she ever decided to cut it he wouldn't make a big deal about it because he loves her regardless. The title of this was taken from a tumblr post of the same name. It's not exactly related to the prompt itself but it fit the story I wanted to tell.**_

* * *

 **On the Care and Keeping of Your Scientist**

* * *

Jellal let his wet bag fall to the library floor and pulled out a chair noisily. Droplets of rainwater fell into his eyes as he leaned down to pull a soggy magazine from the front pocket of his bag. When he placed it on the tabletop across from Lucy, she cringed and quickly moved her laptop out of the way. He eyed her expectantly and frowned when she only raised an eyebrow in response.

 _"Well?!"_ he demanded.

"Jellal," Lucy began with a sigh. "I know that you're a very smart person. Your grades consistently blow mine right out of the water, and I know you'll land a job that will suit your particular brand of absentmindedness perfectly, and I know that Erza probably thinks it's all very adorable but give me a hint here, please? What conclusion am I meant to draw from –" she poked at the magazine with the tip of her pen. "What is this? A hairstyle magazine?"

"It's a hairstyle magazine, yes, but it's _Erza's._ "

"Okay?" Lucy shook her head in confusion. _"And?"_

"Well, _look!"_ Jellal peeled the pages apart and tapped his finger impatiently on a smiling blonde with a bob.

"Erza's dying her hair?"

" _What?_ " Jellal recoiled. "No! She's _cutting_ it."

"Oh!" Lucy pulled the magazine closer to her by the tip of the page. "Well, is this what she's going with?"

"I have no idea! She hasn't said anything to me."

Lucy huffed. "So you stole a magazine from your girlfriend's room because you think she's considering a haircut?"

"Well..." Jellal drew circles in the film left behind by the wet pages. "Yes. I just assumed..."

"How do you even know this is _her_ magazine?"

"It was by her bed! And the other day she was complaining about the rain making her hair sticky. I just know she's going to hack it all off."

"Ugh," Lucy groaned in disgust. She shoved the magazine back toward him, pulled a tissue from her backpack to wipe up the damp residue, and moved her laptop back to it's previous spot. "It's impressive how you've managed to make Erza cutting her hair all about _you_."

"I – I didn't realize I was doing that."

"Of course not, Jellal. You get lost in whatever tickles your science-y brain folds and expect the world to be exactly the same as you left it when you snap back to attention. I'm surprised you were able to put two and two together in the first place."

"Wow, that's harsh, Lucy."

Lucy sighed and leaned forward over the table. She crossed her arms in front of her laptop and fixed her eyes on Jellal. "I didn't mean to be harsh, but it's true. I don't think you realize how often you float off into space and miss out on things you might consider minutiae."

"It just seems like a big thing. Why would she just... _cut her hair?"_

"I have no idea. You might try asking _Erza._ "

* * *

The rain was still pooling on the window ledge when Erza emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of sweet smelling steam. He watched her reflection in the glass as she discarded a towel and pulled on a pair of sweat pants with a suspiciously familiar blue and red logo on the left leg. Not only had he failed to note that his pants had been missing for... well, he didn't actually know how long. His trip to NASA Headquarters had been almost a year ago. First it had been university recruiters nipping at his heels, and not long after he'd proved him self on a collegiate level NASA came calling.

Erza tied the drawstrings into a neat bow before poking her head through the neck of a tank top. Lucy's words may have been pointed but she was right. _Minutiae, indeed._ His eyes fell out of focus and the rain soaked his mind. Erza's hands sliding around his waist brought him back.

"Earth to Jellal," she said into his shoulder blade with a soft laugh. "You're especially distracted tonight."

He turned around in her arms and found her smiling up at him. His fingers brushed over the wet ropes of scarlet clinging to her shoulders.

"What is it?" Erza asked with growing concern.

"I don't mind if you cut your hair," he blurted.

"What?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

"I can't deny that I'd miss it but it's your hair, Erza. I won't be a jerk about it."

Erza's eyes finally lit up with understanding. "So you _were_ paying attention?"

"I found your magazine and remembered you griping about the rain had a moment of selfish panic. Lucy pointed that out to me." Jellal pressed his lips to her forehead in apology. "She also pointed out that I'm... absentminded."

"Oh, Jellal," she sighed. "I know you're a space cadet. You've always been way up there with your head beyond the clouds and that's okay. I love you and I'm always going to be down here tugging on your string to keep you from floating away." Erza smiled again and draped her arms over his shoulders. "All I ask is that you come to bed at a reasonable hour and don't stay up all night squinting at planets."

"I promise not to become completely nocturnal."

She leaned up to kiss him quickly. "And about my hair..."

"Erza, I was serious. You don't have to keep it long to please me." He curled a strand of it around one finger wistfully and sighed. "I'll miss it but I'm in love with _you_ , not your hair."

"How about this? I'll keep it long but during the wet season you have to braid it for me every morning."

"I will be at your place bright and early every morning to do that. I'll set an entire host of alarms." Erza's fingers toyed with the short hair at the base of his head. She smiled playfully.

"About that... I don't think you'll have to wake up as early if you don't have to actually go anywhere." Jellal stared down at her trying to puzzle out her meaning. She finally chuckled and took mercy on him. "I want to move in together, Jellal. It's ridiculous that you still live in a dorm where your books take up almost as much space as your bed. My lease is up in three months. If I have to share you with the heavens, I at least want to keep you close."

"We'll have to buy some bookshelves," he said brushing his lips over hers and pulling her fully against him.

"Mm, probably." Erza returned his kiss with a purpose. "And a washer and dryer. I'm tired of the coin wash."

"Anything you want," Jellal muttered directing her toward the bed but not loosening his hold. His mouth settled on her neck when she fell back onto the mattress. Her hair was a tangled mess by the time she sighed into his chest and fell asleep but he didn't mind. In the morning he would brush it reverently and twist his beloved mane of scarlet into a manageable braid.


	47. Comfort in Practice

_**"Anonymous asked: I have a headcanon that Jellal is good father material and him and Erza have to babysit Asuka and Jellal is being cute and Erza can't help but smile at the fact that Jellal is happy and a great father"**_

 _ **I'm pretty sure Erza teaching Natsu to read is anime only but whatever it's cute.**_

* * *

 **Comfort in Practice**

* * *

Erza placed the stack of folded hand towels in a drawer and glanced around the kitchen. Everything was in perfect order. Normally Jellal would do the final sweep of a laundry day but he was otherwise occupied. It seemed their temporary charge preferred _him_ to _her._ At first Erza had been mildly offended. She was plenty maternal! Never mind the slim two year age difference she'd practically raised Natsu – or at the very least taught him to read. That should count for something!

Nevertheless, Asuka had spent the day mostly in Jellal's company. She was fascinated by his tattoo and questioned him endlessly about it. To his credit, Jellal answered her as best he could. Erza knew he didn't have very many firm memories of his childhood. He still fielded her questions with a grace that clenched at Erza's heart. Her mind conjured images of future children. Would they cling to him and tuck themselves into his side the way Asuka did so easily?

She flipped off the lights in the kitchen on her way down the hall and made her way toward the pool of soft yellow light coming from the spare bedroom. Asuka was sleeping soundly beneath a mound of blankets. Her little cowboy hat hung from a bedpost. Jellal still sat in the arm chair silently flipping through the pages of a picture book. Erza knocked softly on the door frame and Jellal smiled when he looked up.

The picture book was left on the seat of the chair and he joined her in the hallway. Erza took his hand and wrapped her arm around his waist. They didn't have their own children yet but Erza knew there wasn't anyone else she trusted more to be a father.


	48. Upon Return

_**"Anonymous asked: I walked into a party and someone yelled out 'dibs!' AU?"**_

 _ **This was pretty open. I think I made it work? Somehow it feels a little OOC but I could also just be in a bad mood.**_

* * *

 **Upon Return**

* * *

Jellal stuffed his hands in his pockets and scowled up at the house. He wasn't a partier and didn't like sororities or fraternities. Ever since his return from a study expedition up north – one that he'd been _very_ lucky to be a part of – Jellal had avoided the Greek system with impressive alacrity. Allowing Laxus to convince him one party wouldn't be so bad was already feeling like a terrible idea. Maybe if he just turned around now...

"Fernandes!" Laxus's hand came down hard on Jellal's shoulder. "You made it!"

"Remind me why I'm at this party again?" Jellal asked under his breath.

"It's not just _any_ old party, Fernandes. This is _the_ party. There's _grad students_ who can't get into this party."

Jellal sighed deeply and followed Laxus up the front walk. "I don't know why a grad student would waste their time here."

"Listen up, Jellal," Laxus said turning to him. "I promised Mirajane a single guy and that's you. I haven't seen her all week. Take one for the team, huh?"

"Why a _single_ guy?" Jellal's eyes narrowed.

"Well..." Laxus hedged and started toward the front door again. "It's just a thing they do once a year. No big deal, really." Jellal stared after him and decided it was better not to know.

The front door swung open and when they stepped inside, everything seemed to happen at once. Laxus slipped away to assumedly find Mirajane and Jellal felt like a deer in headlights. The crowd surged and pulsed, and a voice shouted above the din.

 _"Dibs!"_ More than one derisive sound of frustration could be heard and all Jellal wanted was to turn around and walk right back out of the house. The source of the shout appeared at his side and she smiled dryly up at him. "This is the first and _only_ time I will lay claim to a man, Jellal Fernandes. You're welcome." He followed the head of dark hair from the crowded front room and into a less populated hallway.

"What's going on, Kagura? Why did you yell _dibs_ at me?"

"I _rescued_ you. This is a singles party."

"A singles party?"

Kagura rolled her eyes. "It's an annual thing. Honestly, Jellal, do you live under a rock?" She seemed to catch herself and laughed. "I forgot you've been camping out on a glacier for the last year. I'm shocked to see you here at all."

"It wasn't a glacier," he muttered. "And Laxus tricked me into coming."

"Ah. So Mirajane let him stay if he brought a replacement." She sighed and motioned for him to follow.

"I still don't know what's going on."

"I came tonight to make sure the younger crowd stays in line. This kind of event isn't really my scene."

Jellal snorted. "Now that I know what kind of party it is, I'm just as shocked to see you as you were to see me."

Suddenly Kagura spun around and poked him in the shoulder. "Don't fuck this up. I'm doing you both an enormous favor. I know things were messy before, but I'm tired of all the moping. It's been a year. Help her get over it."

Jellal frowned and opened his mouth to reply but Kagura just shook her head. Her hand closed around his arm and she guided him through an outside door just before disappearing back down the hallway.

The back patio was as empty as the house was crowded. Only one chair was taken and before she even turned around all of the air rushed from his lungs. He would recognize that particular shade of red anywhere.

"Kagura, I'm fine." Her head tilted to the side.

"It's just me," he said softly.

Erza stood and whirled around. His eyes snagged on the way her hair brushed over her shoulder and caught in the strap of her shirt. As she processed her surprise Jellal felt himself falling back into the very same heedless love he'd always had for her. Their time apart shrunk to nothing. Even if she slapped him in the next instant and told him to fuck off forever, he would always be a complete and utter fool for Erza Scarlet.

She didn't slap him though. She just stared. He thought maybe the polite thing would be to volunteer to leave if she was uncomfortable but in his heart he didn't want to offer.

"Your'e back." Her eyes inspected him in a more than cursory way and he took that as a good sign.

"I've _been_ back." Jellal watched the hurt flicker across her face.

"I see."

"Erza –"

"No, it's fine," she interrupted.

"I meant to call you but I just got –"

"Distracted?" she offered with a small smile. "You were always both too easily distracted and too difficult to distract."

"I never thought of you as a distraction, Erza."

"I used to not know which was the distraction and which was the focus."

Jellal dragged his eyes from her and turned his gaze heavenward. "I admit the north is a beautiful place and I saw things I don't think I'll have the opportunity to see again. But nothing can replace _you_ , Erza. There's nothing more beautiful than you."

"I missed you," she said almost too quietly to hear. His eyes found hers again.

"I'm sorry for not telling you my plans sooner, and I'm sorry for not –"

"Oh, Jellal," Erza said swiping at a tear. She crossed the flagstones and wrapped her arms tightly around his middle. "I don't care. You're back and you're _here._ "

The impulse to touch her hair was too difficult to tamp down. His fingers slid through the strands that were now curled in the humidity. When she finally looked up at him there was a smirk on her lips.

"Do I want to know why you're at a singles party?" Jellal's face felt hot with embarrassment. He hid his face in her neck and breathed in the scent of citrus she always seemed to carry with her.

"It's Laxus's fault. Kagura peed on my leg the second I walked through the door. Honestly, Erza, I thought I was about to be the sacrifice to a very terrifying goddess."

"That's what you get for leaving me alone for a year." Erza pulled away and tugged on his arm. "Let's bail before the crowd spills outside."

"Erza, wait." She turned back to him and he smiled. "I should've called you the second my plane touched down."

"Yes, you should have. But I think we've established how easily distracted you are." Erza reached up and placed her hands on his cheeks. "You came back to me eventually."

She kissed him and he never wanted her to stop.


	49. At the End of the Day

_**"Scarletmayhem asked: Since there is a jerza proposal, why not a jerza wedding au? ^_^"**_

 _ **Writing actual weddings are difficult. I hope this suffices.**_

* * *

 **At the End of the Day**

* * *

Erza gathered her skirts before plopping down on the bench beside him. She sighed airily and leaned into his shoulder.

"I thought I'd find you out here."

He hummed quietly and turned to press his lips against her temple. "Crowds still make me..."

"Twitchy?" she offered with a smile.

"That's one way to describe it." Jellal laughed softly and wrapped an arm around her bare shoulders. The dress was strapless and he could feel her skin prickling beneath his fingertips. She gazed up at him and – not for the first time – Jellal counted himself the luckiest man in existence.

"Do you want to slip away? Almost everyone else has gone home." She smiled and reached up to thread her fingers through his.

"Only if you're ready."

"Jellal," she said with a twitch of her lips. "I've _been_ ready."

He stood and offered her a hand. When she took it he kissed the tips of her fingers. "You looked _radiant_ today. I was almost speechless."

"It's a good thing you _weren't._ " She smiled fully at him and Jellal ducked his head.

"I _did_ pull it together when it was important."

"You did." Erza squeezed his hand and inched as close to him as the layers of tulle and silk would allow. "Let's get out of here," she whispered.

Jellal touched her cheek and kissed his wife for the very first time without an audience.


	50. 4 Months, 5 Bedrooms, & 1 Day Every Year

_**"Flameysaur asked: Based of of this writing prompt: "you died and left me on the hook for a hereditary marriage contract." Jerza is contracted to marry person B, but they die before the marriage can take place. Now Erza is the inherited bride.**_

 _ **I had about 1k of this and decided to scrap every word and start over. I'm happy I did because this is much better and I hope it makes sense! Also! Hooray for 50 requests!**_

* * *

 **Four Months, Five Bedrooms, and One Day Every Year**

* * *

"Can I help you find something?" the sales associate's voice was quiet but friendly.

"Yes, actually. I need a gift for my wife," Jellal pried his gaze from the display of bracelet charms to smile at the sales associate.

"Is it for a birthday?" she asked. "Anniversary?"

"Ah, no to the birthday. It's a kind of anniversary."

"Not a wedding anniversary, then?"

"No, nothing like that," he said with a chuckle. "More of a reminder of a specific moment."

"I see." The sales associate glanced over the display case. "Does she have a charm bracelet? Or perhaps a pendant?"

"Erza isn't much for jewelry and I don't know that a bracelet would be the best gift. She works with a lot of items that require careful handling." Jellal's eye snagged on one particular charm.

"Would you like me to pull that one out for you?"

"Yes," he said, smiling. "Please."

* * *

 _"You_ lured _me here!" Jellal hissed._

 _"I did not. I absolutely intended to congratulate you on your dissertation."_

 _"And trap me in a marriage."_

 _"It's not a_ trap _, Jellal. It's a_ contract _– one that you've been aware of for a very long time." His father shuffled through a stack of papers on his desk._

 _"You're splitting hairs. I don't want to marry!"_

 _"We had this exact same discussion two months ago and you didn't put up a fight. What's changed?" Jellal's rage deepened when his father didn't even look up from his mess of papers._

 _"You're kidding right?" he asked, aghast._

 _"I assure you, I'm not."_

 _"Two months ago, the contract was valid! Now it isn't. That's what's changed."_

 _"Oh, it's still very much valid. Did you not care to read all the clauses when I showed you the first draft?"_

 _"I was sixteen, dad. Of course, I didn't," Jellal barked dryly._

 _"Well, let that be a lesson to you, then. Always read before signing." Acnologia paused and opened a folder. "Ah, here we are."_

 _"My death warrant?"_

 _"Don't be dramatic, Jellal." The folder was proffered but Jellal did not take it. Acnologia sighed. "Eileen's death did not void the contract."_

 _"Am I marrying a ghost then?" Jellal flopped into an arm chair and glared at his father across the desk._

 _"No. A sister." Acnologia folded the stack of papers open to a page with a photo clipped to it. He tossed the stack toward Jellal who let it slide across the desk and hang half over the edge._

 _"I didn't know Eileen had a sister."_

 _His father eyed him silently for a long moment before settling back into his own chair. "You really_ do _take after your mother, don't you? All that time buried in books and gazing up at the heavens without a clue of what goes on around you." Acnologia exhaled heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Truth be told, I always thought Eileen to be a little old for you."_

 _"It was three years, dad."_

 _"I didn't mean physically. Don't be dense." Jellal could feel his father's stare but didn't take his eyes from the carpet. "Aren't you even going to look at the picture?"_

 _"No." Jellal stood and turned to leave. "I'll see her soon enough."_

 _"Before you go, son –" Acnologia paused and waited for Jellal's attention. "Congratulations on your dissertation. I understand you passed your defense and I should probably address you as Doctor now."_

 _"Thanks, dad." Jellal glanced back and caught a flash of red hair before Acnologia snatched the contract back up and closed the folder._

* * *

The sales associate placed the pendant on a neck display and Jellal bent to inspect it. The charm was slim and feminine despite it's deadly shape.

"Is your wife a weapons enthusiast?" she asked brightly. Jellal chuckled and glance up at her.

"Not exactly. She's a cultural anthropologist who specializes in warfare technologies."

"Oh... I see."

"My thoughts exactly," he said with a grin. "She does exactly what she wants to do. Even if I don't understand a word of it."

"A sword charm would suit her then?"

"Absolutely."

* * *

 _The walls were covered in displays. A particularly gruesome looking spiked ball and chain was mounted at the center of an array of knives. The look of the gnarled spikes made his skin crawl._

 _"That's a fourteenth century flail," a voice behind him said softly. Jellal spun around and recognized the hair immediately. She had it in a messily pinned bun and swiped at a stray wisp with her fingers. He noticed her nails were not manicured. They were clipped short and devoid of color. Her smile faded and her mouth twisted in anxiety. He was staring._

 _"I apologize for staring," he sputtered and cleared his throat awkwardly. "You... have a lot of weapons... here."_

 _"Yes, these are the pieces not quite glamorous enough for the museum displays," she said ruefully._

 _"I don't know this flail looks pretty glamorous to me. I bet it sparkles when sprayed with the blood of an enemy." Jellal hadn't meant to flirt with her but he couldn't quite help it. Even though she resembled her sister to a shocking degree, there was an entirely different aura about her._

 _"It's been a good minute since this flail has sparkled with anything." A smile played at her lips and Jellal wanted to see all of it._

 _"That's a shame." He finally pulled his hand from his pocket and offered it. "I'm Jellal Fernandes. You must be Erza."_

 _She didn't smile but smirked and took his hand lightly. "You can call me_ Doctor Scarlet _, for now."_

* * *

The sales associate attached the charm to a thin chain and arranged the set in a hinged box. When she returned his credit card and receipt to him, she smiled.

"I hope your wife is pleased with your choice, Doctor Fernandes."

He laughed lightly and took the small gift bag by the handle. "If she's not, I'm sure we'll meet again. You don't need to bother with the Doctor part," he said with a parting grin. "No one calls me Doctor Fernandes but my students."

* * *

 _"Would you have courted my sister this way, Doctor Fernandes?" she asked with a sidelong grin. The evening breeze picked up strands of her hair and all he wanted to do was touch it._

 _"Do you think your sister was the type to allow_ courting? _"_

 _"Absolutely not. I'm sure she'd have given you a_ perfunctory wedding night hump _– if you were lucky – and then slept down the hall until her calendar permitted the one child required by your contract."_

 _He laughed lightly. "Are you ever going to call me by my first name?"_

 _"Maybe." Erza leaned against the railing of the pier and plucked the last bit of cotton candy from the cone. She eyed him carefully._

 _"If your wondering if I'm disappointed you didn't offer me a_ perfunctory wedding night hump _, the answer is no, Doctor Scarlet. I'm not trying to earn your good graces to achieve a_ Tuesday night hump _, either."_

 _"No?" she asked with a smirk._

 _"No. Whatever might have come from a marriage between Eileen and I is unimportant. You aren't her and I'm glad. I enjoy your company, is all."_

 _Erza tossed the empty paper cone in the garbage bin and slid her hand into the crook of his arm. "You really know how to make a girl blush, don't you, Jellal."_

* * *

Erza's smile was the very best part of her. He liked her hair, of course, – he really _loved_ the hair – and the skin between her thighs was the softest thing he'd ever had the pleasure of touching, and the way she sighed before kissing him goodnight were all quite perfect. But her smile lifted his soul from even the deepest depths.

She pulled her hair over one shoulder and let him clasp the necklace around her neck.

"You remembered."

"I'll never forget," he said adjusting the chain and freeing the strands of red from her fingers. Erza turned and slid her hands up his chest and over his shoulders.

"Do you ever wish –"

"No," he whispered. "I never wish. Do you?"

"Not for a single thing," she breathed before kissing him. The charm and chain pooled in the dip between her collar bones and Jellal enjoyed the cool metal against his chin when he settled his lips on her neck. He lost count of how many times he whispered her name – the only things he counted anymore were the years.

* * *

 _The sunlight was new. He never opened the curtains in the morning and when his eyes fluttered open, Jellal decided first light was his favorite. She bit her bottom lip and smiled at him. He absolutely could not stop himself from tucking a stray wisp of hair behind her ear._

 _"You stayed, Doctor Scarlet." Her cheeks flushed the most lovely shade of pink._

 _"Just Erza," she said softly._

 _There were five bedrooms in their home and after four months of marriage, only one would remain occupied._


	51. The Look of Lace

_**"Anonymous asked: Can you do a prompt where Erza is trying to seduce Jellal in a new set of lingerie and while trying to take it off she gets stuck in it? XD"**_

 _ **This one got away from me. Not in length but content.**_

* * *

 **The Look of Lace**

* * *

For the third time, the laces slipped out of the bow and dangled rebelliously. Erza scowled in the mirror and reached behind her once more to grasp at them. The problem was that the corset ties weren't the best texture – they were more like stitched cords meant to be secured by an attending party. This irritated her for two reasons.

Firstly, it wasn't even a real corset! The bones were too flimsy to hold anything in as the set was comprised almost entirely of lace. If the piece wasn't designed to be restrictive of figure, what was the point of having someone else around to secure it from behind?

Secondly, _who wanted assistance with lingerie?!_ The whole entire goal of lingerie was the element of surprise. It wasn't sexy to ask her partner to lace up a faux corset just so they could take it off a few minutes later. Erza exhaled harshly and yanked on the cords. She twisted them into a double knotted bow – something that would not easily be removed.

The sound of the garage door opening startled her and Erza panicked. Jellal was home earlier than he'd said he would be and she hadn't finished getting ready. She pulled her hair over one shoulder and took a deep breath. Lingerie and seduction weren't her forte. Quite frankly, Jellal was _easy_.

An exhausted groan and the sound of a body hitting the mattress signified that her prep-time was over. Erza flipped the bathroom lights off and stepped into the bedroom. He was stretched out across the bed in after-gym clothes. His hair was damp and she could smell his shampoo even from the bathroom door. In a way she was almost sorry he'd showered. The smell of sweat was a private pleasure and she'd tackled him more than once post-yard work. The bedroom was lit only by his reading lamp and when he turned his head to the side to look at her, it took him a moment to focus.

"You're home earlier than I thought you'd be," she said softly.

"Were you expecting your secret lover, then?" he asked with a grin.

Erza smirked. "You're not _that_ early. My secret lover is into marathon sex."

"I see. I'm glad you'll have him to keep you busy while I'm away on business next month." Erza crawled across the bed to straddle his hips.

"Whoever said _anything_ about it being a _he?_ " She purred and leaned down to press her lace covered breasts to his chest. "You're still my number one, though." Jellal smiled and ran a finger along the edge of the corset where it met the matching pair of lace panties.

"Is that why _I_ get the fancy lingerie? Because I'm number one?"

"I wouldn't make this effort for anyone else." Erza kissed the underside of his jaw and sat back on his hips. She didn't fail to note that his eyes strayed to the cups holding her together. Without further preamble she yanked his shirt up and watched him remove it. Her palms lay open on his chest and she enjoyed the way his heart still raced at her touch.

"I'm glad to hear it," he said gently grasping her wrists. "You don't have to, though, Erza. My favorite thing on you is the sheets." Erza grinned and reached behind her to tug on the cord securing the corset.

Nothing happened.

She tugged again and felt the corset give a little but it still didn't loosen. Erza huffed and twisted around to yank on the ties again to no avail.

"What is it?" Jellal asked gripping her unsteady waist. "What's wrong?"

"I'm –" Erza pulled frantically on the knot. "I'm stuck."

"What?" Jellal's eyebrow quirked.

"I'm stuck!" Why, oh, _why_ had she double knotted the bow? It only needed to stay in place for a few minutes! _This_ was why she didn't ever bother with tricky lingerie! Strip tease ruined, Erza growled and shifted off Jellal's body. She stood and tried her very best to gracefully pull the corset down around her hips and completely off but – because it was a corset, however flimsy – the thing wouldn't budge. "I can't believe this!"

"Erza, stop." Jellal sat up and grabbed her hand. "You'll rip it. Just –" He spun her around and began to pick at the knot. "Let me give it a try. I'd hate to see something like this destroyed."

"You like it then?" she asked glancing over her shoulder.

"No, I just like _you_ in it. The lace is pretty, but only because _you're_ wearing it." The corset finally loosened and Erza held it to her chest as she turned back around to face him. "Come here," he whispered, pulling her down into his lap.

"I'm sorry for getting stuck," she muttered, sliding her knees on either side of him. "Did I kill the mood?"

"Erza, there's nothing you could _ever_ do to kill a moment. I will always want you, no matter what." Without warning Jellal flipped her on her back and stretched out over her. He kissed her shoulder before fastening his mouth to her neck. Erza's fingers carded through his damp hair.

"I shouldn't have bothered," she groaned, hitching one leg over his hip. "You're too easy to get into bed anyway." Jellal laughed and nudged her nose with his.

" _I'm_ the easy one? I seem to recall someone jumping me for simply walking in the door after cutting the grass last weekend. Was that you or some other crazy redhead?"

"I can't help it if I like the way you smell."

"Maybe you have a fetish," he said dropping a kiss on the swell of her breasts still bound by the remaining corset.

"Well, if I _do_ have a fetish at least you won't be the only one in this relationship who has one. Natsu certainly isn't practicing for a second career as a hairdresser on Lucy."

"Maybe he would if Lucy had hair like yours." Jellal tugged the loose corset free and tossed it aside. His lips closed around the pink tip of one nipple. Erza sighed and her eyes fluttered closed. He kissed between her breasts and finally took her mouth with an impatient force. "Enough talking," he murmured against her lips.

Erza kicked off his sweat pants and Jellal's hand found its way over her hip to hook a finger in the waistband of her panties. When the last scrap of lace between them was flung aside, Erza's legs wound tightly around his waist and Jellal's hand settled between them. She felt him hard and hot against her thigh but he didn't seem to be in a rush.

His fingers easily slid through the slick folds of skin between her legs and pressed against the part of her that never really stopped wanting him. Jellal kissed her lips and eyelids before moving back to her neck. There would be a mark there in the morning but Erza could not possibly care less. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip and her fingernails dug into his shoulders. She knew he was watching her get off with the same intense gaze as always but, like the hickey he probably left on her neck, Erza did not care.

Jellal didn't protest when she shoved him to his back and swiftly lowered herself onto his cock. His gasp was followed by a lingering exhale. Erza slid her hands from his shoulders, to his elbows, to his wrists, and finally wove her fingers between his.

There were times when she wanted his weight over her. She wanted to feel him pounding into her and let him reach his climax with whatever urgency pleased him in the moment. But as she rode him slowly, Erza realized what Jellal had probably known since she'd stepped out of the bathroom: the lingerie wasn't about him. It was about _her._ She'd worn it because she liked the way she looked in it. Jellal could be seduced with nothing but a crook of her finger and a grin, but Erza wanted the lace. She wanted to feel beautiful on her own terms – that's why he hadn't let her rip the corset off and into shreds.

His green eyes bore into hers and she felt him pulse inside of her. Still he didn't fight to loose his hands and grasp at her hips the way he normally might. Erza suddenly leaned down and kissed him softly.

"I love you," she whispered as he grit his teeth and emptied himself inside her.


	52. Scars of Exhilaration

_**"Anonymous asked: Jellal and Erza getting smutty in an onsen. Onegai shimasu!"**_

 _ **Present tense. AGAIN.**_

* * *

 **Scars of Exhilaration**

* * *

He doesn't miss the constant travel or the sleeping in caves or the dust of the road. Existing out in the open with no masks or hoods still gives him pause. Sometimes, though, he _does_ wonder if he's cut out for the raucous guild his wife loves so fiercely. He wonders if maybe he's simply too old to acclimate – the proverbial old dog too tired to learn new tricks.

She insists he _isn't_ too old and her reminders are never subtle. Her breath and lips against his ear. Her hair slipping through his fingers. The way her sweat mingles with his as he glides in and out and over. She makes his heart race like a young, wild stallion tearing across the countryside. When he's beneath her weight she whispers things that he never allowed himself to consider. Things she wants. Things she needs... things _he_ wants too but is afraid of saying out loud.

Visiting the baths is a pleasure he prefers to experience alone. Laxus understands. Solitude is a thing he thinks Laxus understands very well. Mirajane saves him the bath tokens for Wednesdays and he is grateful. He never asks how she keeps everyone else away.

The moment he is no longer alone is less of a surprise than a curiosity. He doesn't need to open his eyes to know she slices through the water and steam with more grace than he has any right to touch.

Touch her he does, though. Her hips fit into his palms and he smiles.

"I was under the impression," he murmurs. "That all of the tokens for this evening were in my possession." Her body is slick as she wraps herself around him. She smells of lavender soap.

"If you think I need a token to get in here," she breaths. "I'm afraid you haven't learned much since joining this guild." Her lips ghost across his collar bones and along his neck.

"Did you battle Mirajane to the death, then?"

Erza laughs softly but does not answer. His fingers tangle in the strands of hair that stick to her shoulders. Jellal's eyes finally open and she smiles. Her intentions are clear. He has never denied her since his _return_ and does not intend to start now. Her finger traces a path down the ridges of his chest, below the water line and when the closes a grip around his growing erection, Erza collapses the space between them.

Her kisses are always what he wants. There are times when he grasps her wrists and pushes them into the pillows above her head. He doesn't deny that having her _trust_ and _submission_ in his hands is exciting and singularly precious. But when she kisses him – it is _exhilarating_.

His head is tilted backwards against the planked edge of the onsen. She hovers above him just so and pulls away from his lips to suck in a breath before sinking down on him. Before he can react to the way she fits around him like a perfectly tailored glove, her mouth is on his again. Her hands are in his hair first. And then fingernails rake down his neck and over his shoulders.

Her body slides through the water and rhymes with the waves perfectly. The smooth surface of her belly presses against him as a gasp fans across his face. Erza never asks for help but she needs it. He's never said so but he is glad she can't finish them both off alone. It is not a thing she does _to_ him or that he does to _her_ – it is a destination they arrive at together with every hand leaving prints on the wheel.

Without warning he grips her hips and stands. She whispers his name as her rear hits the planks of the deck. Her body arches into him and her legs hitch high around his waist. His hands find her breasts and his lips are quick to follow. Much like every other part of her, Erza's climax is a force of nature. She sucks in lungfuls of steam and hums in satisfaction as he slides out of her and pulls them both back into the water.

"I'll see you at home," she whispers as she leaves – her exit as graceful as her arrival.

His neck stings as he sinks further into the water. A childhood of torture has left his back covered in scars. It is a past he struggles with remembering and forgetting. But the marks she leaves now are new memories he wants to carry with him always.


	53. Texts from the Dressing Room

_**"Anonymous asked: hi I love your writing! Can you write about Erza sending Jellal a silly pic of herself by error while they aren't dating?**_

 _ **Anonymous asked: Accidently sending a revealing photo to them."**_

 _ **I combined these because they're very similar and I 100% believe Erza would do this completely on accident and to a variety of people because she doesn't understand contacts and refuses to learn.**_

* * *

 **Texts from the Dressing Room**

* * *

Laxus was eyeing Mirajane again. She swept from table to table, sweetly greeting patrons and refilling their glasses with water or tea. Jellal grimaced. Laxus wasn't subtle and Mirajane very obviously not only knew he was doing it, but seemed to enjoy the act of not acknowledging it. She didn't smirk over her shoulder or toss her hair or sway her hips elaborately. No, Mirajane didn't need to do any of those things for Laxus to watch her wait tables. And everyone knew it.

A buzzing from his pocket drew Jellal's attention. He sighed and fished it out with two fingers.

"If that's Ultear, tell her to fuck off," Laxus muttered. "It's your off day. Don't be that idiot who always covers for everyone."

"I don't _always_ –" Laxus's eyes finally slid away from Mirajane long enough to glare over at him.

"You _do._ "

"It's not even Ultear anyway." Jellal said slowly. He stared at the notification and his forehead crinkled in perplexity. Erza _never_ texted him. In fact, she wasn't must of a texter at all. Most often Erza was the type to call without warning and either bark demands or start in on a breakdown mid-sentence. The phone buzzed again and Jellal dropped it on the tabletop in surprise. Two in a row.

"Who is it then?" Laxus asked with half-interest. His attention had already returned to Mirajane, who was now leaning over the lunch counter chatting with her sister.

"Erza."

Lunch was probably the loudest couple of hours at the restaurant. Mornings were mostly half-asleep customers grasping for mugs of coffee or tea, and dinner was fairly subdued. The dining area was currently filled with lively chatter and the soft clinks of tableware against plates – but Jellal didn't hear any of it. The sounds were muted to a low din as he gaped at the face of his phone in a mixture of horror... and _interest_.

Erza's lips were turned down anxiously and even though the angle of the photo was awkward he could clearly see every curve of her scantily clad body. Was it a bathing suit? Bra and panties? It looked as though she was in a dressing room. A strand of her hair was stuck in one of the cups of her... _whatever it was_ – he didn't know and felt like a creep but for fuck's sake! He'd always had a thing for her hair and pretty much everything about Erza in general and now she'd sent this incredibly appalling picture...

 _"Well?! Kagura, you promised to help!"_ Another bubble of text popped up and Jellal flinched. Of course the picture wasn't for him. Why would it be? Erza wasn't his girlfriend – even if he very much wanted her to be. Another photo appeared and – _god bless it_ – she'd sent him a rear view. Jellal couldn't let her keep on.

"Hey," Laxus startled him. "Who texted you?" He leaned over and got a peek at the last photo before Jellal snatched his phone up. "I didn't know you and Erza had reached the sexting stage. You move quick, Fernandes."

"No!" Jellal quickly corrected him. "It's not sexting!"

"No?" Laxus's eyebrow quirked upward. "Because it sure looks like Erza is sending you half naked pictures of herself."

"It's not –" Jellal typed out a response quickly and tapped _send_ before she could reply with something that would only embarrass her further. "She sent me these by accident. I don't think Erza actually uses her contacts function. She thinks I'm Kagura."

"I didn't know Erza swung that way." Laxus said, his eyes returning to Mirajane. "The more you know, I guess."

"I doubt it's like _that_ , either," Jellel mumbled. He didn't actually know _all_ of Erza's preferences but a demand for help in a fitting room didn't indicate much other than a friend's desperate plea for opinion. She didn't respond right away but as soon as he locked the phone again, it began to ring. "I'm taking this outside," he said finishing off his drink and leaving Laxus alone at their table.

"I bet," Laxus snickered, but never took his eyes off Mirajane.

"Hey... Erza," he said, stepping out of the restaurant and onto the sidewalk. "Listen –"

"Oh, my god, Jellal! I'm so sorry! I never meant to send you pictures like that! I swear those were for Kagura!" Erza rambled at the speed of light and Jellal sighed quietly. "She was supposed to come with me today to buy new b –" she stumbled over her words. "Uh, _things,_ and then she canceled but promised if I sent her pictures –"

"It's fine," Jellal cut in. He couldn't let her spiral into chaos. "I kind of assumed you didn't mean to send them to me."

"I'm so sorry," she offered.

"It's really okay." He paused and squinted up at the gathering clouds. "You should probably use your contacts app, Erza. It would save you a lot of trouble."

"It's just so much work to set up," she grumbled.

Before Jellal could stop himself he said, "Let me help you."

"That would be awful nice of you. Maybe you could come by tonight? I'll order in dinner and it'll be a d–" Erza derailed again and Jellal couldn't help smiling.

"Dinner sounds great. I'll see you tonight, then."

"Before you go," she trailed off and cleared her throat. "Does it look okay?"

"Does what look okay?"

"The bra. The one I sent you? Was it okay? It doesn't make me look washed out? Green really isn't my color and –"

"It's perfect," he blurted. Thank fuck she was on the other end of a phone call and not in front of him to see the embarrassment etched on his face. "Everything on you is perfect, Erza."

"Thanks, Jellal," she said softly. "I'll see you later."

When Jellal slid back into the booth opposite Laxus, his friend was picking at a plate of french fries.

"Well?" Laxus asked nudging the plate toward him.

"I'm going to set up Erza's contacts for her tonight. She can't go on just sending dressing room photos to whoever."

"I see," he replied with a grin. "So it's a date then?"

 _"That,"_ Jellal said pointedly. "Is none of your business." Laxus laughed and Jellal stuffed his mouth with potatoes in an effort to not think about whether Erza ended up buying the green bra or not.


	54. On Sundays We Nap Sometimes

_**"Anonymous asked: Jellal desperately tries to find a time to be alone with Erza."**_

 _ **Writer's block is a bitch and I am now months behind.**_

* * *

 **On Sundays We Nap... Sometimes**

* * *

 _Monday_

Steam curled around the shape of her body and droplets of water fell from her limbs as she stood. Her brilliant red hair was pinned to her head and he wanted to get his hands in it – preferably while she was still wet and naked. Jellal pulled the shirt he'd slept in over his head. Before making it through the bathroom door, a shrill cry from the baby's room killed the building tension in his belly. Jellal snatched his shirt from the floor with a sigh.

* * *

 _Tuesday_

With a practiced flick of his wrist, Jellal scrawled his name across the last three documents and sent his assistant away. If he could make it out of the building without being seen, he'd be free. There was a door at the end of the service hallway on the bottom floor that went mostly unused. Jellal slipped through it with a very Siegrain-like grin.

The grin slipped, however, when he found Asuka trying to calm his fussy baby son into a nap instead of Erza.

"I'm sorry," she said with a grimace. "Erza and Natsu took a day job outside of town. They'll be back tonight."

"It's okay." Jellal deposited his cloak on the back of the sofa. "I was just –"

"My parents aren't as sly as they think," Asuka offered with a laugh as she handed over the still whimpering baby. "I'm sure I can guess why you came home early."

* * *

 _Wednesday_

He didn't realize he was tapping his foot until Erza's hand came to rest on his thigh. She sighed and let her head fall to his shoulder. He didn't think it was fair he had to deal with both the Magic Council _and_ Fairy Tail's own brand of bureaucracy, as well.

Laxus's voice devolved to a drone and Jellal's thought began to wander.

* * *

 _Thursday_

The timid knock on his office door broke the deafening silence. Jellal glanced up at the face of his assistant peeking around the side of the door.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Master Jellal, but do you have your communications lacrima on you?"

Jellal felt along the front of his jacket and slits in his trousers. All pockets were empty. He must've left it at home.

"I don't actually." He watched her lips purse and sighed. "What is it?"

"Your wife just called. I think the baby is sick. I can take care of the rest of those files if you'd like to go home."

He found Erza warmer than she should've been and on the verge of tears. Jellal sent her to bed and spent the rest of his afternoon and night monitoring the baby's temperature.

* * *

 _Friday_

Jellal woke with a headache and a tingle in his throat.

* * *

 _Saturday_

Freshly laundered sheets fluttered in the breeze. Jellal hadn't realized how quickly laundry could accumulate. Though the sickness had passed, he fell into bed just after the sun fell below the horizon.

* * *

 _Sunday_

The house was oddly quiet when Jellal's eyes opened. Sunday was an unofficial napping day but even so, the lack of any sound at all disturbed him. Erza's face came into view when she leaned over the back of the sofa and smiled. Her hair brushed his chest and he couldn't help but touch the ends of it.

"Where's Rin?" he asked.

"Lucy and Mirajane offered babysit. You've had a rough week and it didn't go unnoticed."

"I see," he muttered.

"You can nap if you _want_ ," she straightened and her smile twisted into a smirk. "But I think I'm going to have a bath."

Jellal didn't think he'd ever moved so quickly without magic in his life.


	55. 5TJAEiSNHa1THD

_**"Anonymous asked: Jellal asks Erza if she would like to "teach" him on how to maintain equipment such as hers, because everyone knows how she'd immediately say no when people ask if she needs any help."**_

 _ **I liked this one a lot because I think it's pretty accurate. Erza wouldn't let just anyone touch her weapons.**_

* * *

 **Five Times Jellal Asks Erza If She Needs Help and One Time He Doesn't**

* * *

"My requip-space will sometimes _fix_ my equipment but not always _clean_ or _maintain_..." Her voice meandered as her attention was drawn to the sharpening pattern. Erza was very particular about maintaining a pattern.

"And you don't ever source that work out?" Jellal quirked an eyebrow at the way she visibly recoiled at the suggestion.

"I would _never_ trust someone else to handle my equipment!"

"Do you need help?"

"No," she said without considering his offer even a little.

* * *

He _wasn't_ staring at her ass.

Okay so maybe he stared a _little_. She paced up and down the rows of armor, clothing, weapons, and stands of things Jellal could only classify as _other_. The tips of her hair brushed the swell of her rear and Jellal was only slightly appalled that she handled the stocking of her requip-space while so barely clothed.

"Do you normally do this in your underwear?" he asked. Erza hummed noncommittally and pulled up her archive. The outlandish suit of armor disappeared, leaving the rack bare.

"Most of the specialty undergarments needed for these suits I keep on the racks in the order they're worn."

"Does that mean it's not out of your ordinary to wander this way throughout your armory?"

"I guess," she muttered, and another suit of armor disappeared. She moved along the row and reached out to touch a frayed leather strap with a twisted frown.

"You know," he said casually. "If you ever needed help –"

"It's fine." She waived him off.

* * *

The blade glinted under the harsh lights of her armory. Her expression was one of fierce concentration. A different blade shimmered into view and Jellal couldn't help but grin. She glanced over at him and raised an eyebrow.

"What are you smiling about."

"Nothing."

"Tell me." Her stance changed as a heavier sword appeared in one hand, and a spear in the other. Even though she was making demands of him, her attention had been refocused on her beloved weapons.

"I just like to watch you do what you love, that's all."

She shrugged and a pair of battle axes appeared in her hands. "This is just busy work."

"But you _do_ love it."

"I do." Erza smiled at him and dropped her arms as the axes disappeared. An array of daggers and knives circled in front of her. She eyed each of them closely.

"I'm well versed in mele weapons, even if I don't use them." He said, already knowing how she'd respond. "I'm always available if you need a free hand."

"No thanks. I can handle it."

* * *

"That looks new," he said from his position against the wall.

"It is. I'm not sure if I like it or not." She twisted her body in the suit constructed of gleaming bands of metal. He wasn't sure of it's composition but Erza looked terrifying in it all the same.

"Do you test new armor before entering a battle?"

"Sometimes," she mumbled checking the fasteners under her arm.

"I could spar with you, if you want. I don't mind."

"That's okay."

* * *

Her hands smelled of lemon oil when he kissed her palms.

"Were you handling wooden scabbards all day while I was gone?" he asked with a smile. She slid her arms around his neck and kissed him softly.

"I was."

"That must mean it's Wednesday," he teased.

"Yes, it is," she said kissing him again.

"You could let me help you with that grunt work."

"I got it." She didn't let him speak again before pushing him into their bed and crawling over him.

* * *

"What kind of weapon is this?" he asked with mild curiosity.

"A kunai," she said easily. "They can be used for gouging at close range."

"And these?"

"Shuriken." Erza sighed. "They aren't my favorite but sometimes they can work in a pinch." She moved further down the table and ran her hands lovingly over a set of matching daggers.

"What are those used for?"

"These are throwing knives." She picked one up and handled it lightly. Her lips twitched into a fond smile. "I can fling about five of these at once."

"Wow, five?!" he exclaimed.

"At once, yes. It's a good number. Throwing knives are often underestimated. They're effective for proving a point, not for winning a battle."

"Can you show me how to handle one?"

"Of course!" Erza positioned the dagger in his hand and instructed him on how to release it. His aim could use improvement, but she was engaged. There was a neat set of holes in the armory wall when all twenty of the knives had been thrown.

"And do you clean these in the same way as your swords?"

"No, these require a different type of handling and sharpening pattern. I can show you, if you like." She turned to him and bit her bottom lip.

"I'd love that."

Erza smiled and took his hand. Jellal couldn't tell if she'd finally seen through his plan or not but she glowed so brightly that he didn't care.


	56. Special Edition

_**"Anonymous asked: He knew that she favored Super Heroes and Heroines so he bartered for the painting as a gift for her. Jellal is now standing next to a picture of Fairy Woman and Erza doesn't know if there is anything to say at all about this."**_

 _ **This wasn't exactly a Christmas prompt but why not?**_

* * *

 **Special Edition**

* * *

Jellal tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and tried to ignore the fact that the snow was coming down thicker than before. The voice of his GPS app directed him down a street that had clearly been overlooked by the plows. His truck boasted four wheel drive, though, and he safely drove right over the drifts of snow.

 _"5611 Windhaven Parkway is on your left. You have arrived at your destination."_ Jellal glanced down at his phone with an expression of betrayal. He'd been led to the only house on the block with no holiday lights and not even a porch light to illuminate the front door. He considered turning around and leaving but the mission outweighed his reservations. This particular moment had been a long time in coming and he didn't have a backup if things fell through – partly because of over confidence, and partly because he'd spent his budget already.

The front walk was not impossible to navigate but it was in a state of irritating disrepair. Jellal picked his steps carefully and avoided the spots where bricks were missing. He sighed heavily upon the realization that there was no doorbell. He knocked firmly five times and waited... and waited... and waited. No signs of life were to be seen. Jellal knocked again and stepped back from the door to examine the house. The only light came from a floor window that probably led to a basement. _Fantastic._

Overcome with frustration and defeat, Jellal pulled his phone out once more to try and send a quick email to the seller. Before he could even enter his passcode, the front door of the house finally swung open. A tall man with a curious scar over his eye regarded Jellal skeptically.

"You Fernandes?" he asked gruffly.

"Uh, yeah. Are you Laxus Dreyar?"

"Yep. I thought you'd never get here. This place gives me the creeps. Let's get this over with." Laxus jerked his thumb over his shoulder and turned back into the house. Jellal followed and agreed with the assessment of quickness. The house was in a state of disarray and was obviously in the process of being emptied. "Sorry about the mess. I don't know if you've ever had to deal with a family member's estate before but it's a nightmare."

"No, no I haven't but I can imagine it's not a fun job."

"It fucking sucks." He nudged aside a bag of something with his toe as he led Jellal through the house to the staircase that would lead to the basement. "I loved my grandpa but no one took care of this house once he was put into the home."

Jellal took the stairs just as quickly as Laxus and was shocked by the state of the basement. It was as well cared for as the house was not. The carpet wasn't new, but it had been kept clean. The walls were covered in various posters and works of art he knew Erza would recognize – even if he didn't. In the far corner stood his prize. The trophy for all his digging. Laxus stood in front of the life-size cardboard cut out and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Well, there she is." Fairy Woman glared at them both from behind her black mask. Jellal felt a little unnerved even though she wasn't real. "Are you a comic fan or something? My grandpa sure was, the old perv."

"No, I'm not actually." Jellal smirked when Laxus raised an eyebrow. "But my girlfriend is. She's gonna love this." He pulled the roll of bills from his pocked and handed over the cash. Laxus didn't even bother to count it.

"Is this a popular character? The price you offered is pretty insane, buddy. I'd have let you have her for twenty bucks."

"You're underselling it. Fairy Woman was a limited edition character, she's not even part of the main story. Do you have any idea how long I've been looking for merchandise? I'd have been happy with a poster but you're really making me a Christmas hero with this cut out."

"Are you _sure_ you're not a fan? You sure know a lot about this."

Jellal grinned. "My girlfriend is pretty enthusiastic. I've picked up a few things."

"Alright, whatever floats her boat. There's a system of supports on her back and I found the box she came in, if you want it."

"Thanks, man, I really appreciate it." Jellal and Laxus flattened the cut out and slid her into the box. His ridiculous smile did not go away the entire drive home.

* * *

 _"Jellal!"_ Erza gasped. She stepped around the tree and took in the full scope of her Christmas present. "They don't even make these anymore! How on earth did you find her?"

"It took some poking around online but I rescued her from someone's basement." He paused and enjoyed the look of joy and amazement on her face. "Do you like it?"

"Are you kidding?" Erza turned back to him and slid her arms around his neck. "I _love_ it."

"What are you going to do with her?"

"Oh, I don't know." Her teeth sank into her bottom lip. "But I don't think I want her in our room."

"No?"

Erza planted her hands on his chest and guided him back towards their bedroom. "No, I don't think I want an audience when I show you how special you've made Christmas for me this year."


	57. A Sweet Cliche

_**"Wicked-Lady asked: Person A and B are roommates that live together in a dorm. Their neighbor (whom Person A finds hella fucking cute), Person C, knocks on their door and asks if they have any sugar. Person B pushes Person A out of the dorm, stating that "They're as sweet as can be." BONUS: B locks the door and refuses to let A in until A and C talk to each other."**_

 _ **Again, not a Christmas prompt but it's Christmas Eve and I do what I want.**_

* * *

 **A Sweet Cliche**

* * *

Jellal stretched across the couch and wiggled his toes. They already felt better than when he'd returned home from an impromptu trip out. He closed his eyes and tried to tune out the television Lucy had left on. The meteorologist was still rambling on about snowfall and closures but Jellal already knew all that. He and Lucy had experienced it first hand at the crack of dawn on a frozen train platform – and Jellal on his own more recently when he'd gone out to pick up straggler ingredients Lucy needed for their last minute Christmas dinner.

She'd feigned disappointment at the news that all outbound rail travel was a no-go, and he'd hugged her shoulders awkwardly. Once the two of them returned to their apartment, however, she was more honest. Between his own parents' bitter divorce, and Jude Heartfilia's near-constant vocal disappointment over Lucy's change in career path, the family holiday would've been miserable.

Lucy seemed perfectly content puttering around their kitchen, and Jellal was just fine with recuperating from his very _frozen_ , very _wet_ trip to the grocery store on the couch. They would have to deal with their family eventually... just not on Christmas.

Jellal's limbs were feeling heavier, and heavier on the soft couch cushions and he had nearly succumbed to a nap when a timid knock on the door was followed by a much more brave one. Lucy breezed by the couch and slapped his head with a dishrag.

"Lazy," she muttered. Jellal yawned and sat up begrudgingly.

"Oh, hey, Erza!" Lucy said as she pulled open the front door. Jellal stiffened and ran a hand through his messy hair. He wished he were wearing anything other than his plaid pajama pants but after his trip to the store, they were all he'd wanted to mess with.

Lucy was leaning against the door as she held it open and their neighbor – the one with the incredible scarlet hair and smile that made Jellal want to smile too – was clad in her own pajama pants and clutched a ring of measuring cups in her hands.

"I, um –" Erza glanced away from Lucy and her cheeks flushed when she saw him standing at the edge of the small entry hall. "I just needed some sugar. My train was canceled this morning and I'm afraid I hadn't planned on spending the holiday at home."

"We have plenty of sugar!" Lucy offered with a grin. She suddenly reached over and grabbed Jellal's arm. "Jellal was sweet enough to brave the snow after our train was canceled, too." Lucy practically shoved him out the front door and into the hallway. She snatched Erza's measuring cups and blocked the doorway with her body. "Why don't you two have a chat while I get the sugar. Jellal, be a sweetheart and find out if Erza wants to join us later, okay?"

Jellal's brow furrowed when his cousin shut the door in his face. He heard the bolt latch and he sighed. Erza's face was pink when he turned to her.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Lucy isn't subtle."

"It's – I mean it's fine," Erza stammered. "I appreciate the kindness."

"Is sugar all you need?"

Her blush deepened. "Yeah, it should be. I'm making cookies."

"Just cookies?"

"Uh, well, I thought I'd be traveling, and didn't go shopping at all." She tucked a strand of her hair behind one ear and her eyes bounced around the hallway before meeting his. "Cookies will be fine. I have a bit of a sweet tooth, I guess."

"You can't just have cookies for two days."

"I'll be fine." She was fidgeting now and Jellal felt guilty.

"Why don't you have dinner here tonight, and spend tomorrow with us? We have plenty of food." He smiled and she finally smiled, too. "I didn't get any cookies, though."

"I can bring that," Erza said softly. "I should... go and make the cookies, then." She hadn't stopped smiling and Jellal found he couldn't either.

"You still need the sugar, don't you?"

"Uh, right! Sugar."

Lucy swung the door back open and her smile was enough to make Jellal want to roll his eyes again.

"We'll leave the door unlocked, Erza, just come over whenever!" She poked Jellal in the ribs before shutting the door again. Erza turned to leave and he cleared his throat.

"You know," he blurted. "We could have dinner some other time, too. When it's not Christmas, I mean. You and me."

"Like a date?" she asked.

"Yeah. A date. I wanted to ask you before but there's always... things." He knew he was fumbling his words but couldn't help it. There was something about Erza that twisted him all up in knots.

"I'd like that," she whispered. The doorknob twisted and the door drifted open to reveal an empty entry hall. "I'll be back in an hour or two with cookies. Thanks for inviting me." Erza bit her lip and brought the cup of sugar to her chest. "And tell Lucy, thank you," she added a little louder than necessary.


	58. In Retrograde

_**"Anonymous asked: Jellal has a head injury and Erza is his neurologist. Amnesia would be cool but I'm not picky. SMUT K?'**_

 _ **I broke my own length rule with this one but I'm not sorry. It isn't my typical fare. It's not exactly angst and not exactly fluff and the smut turned out to be an after-thought instead of the focus. I'm still proud of it though.**_

* * *

 **In Retrograde**

* * *

 _"Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart."_

 _-Hakuri Murakami_

* * *

Stiletto heels clicked on the linoleum floor as she slid her arms through the sleeves of her white coat – the cocktail dress already stood out but there was nothing to be done about it now. The hour was late, the florescent lights unforgiving, and the white coat was the only thing about her not completely out of place in the busy triage hall. Curtains were yanked shut or open as she passed. Nurses milled quickly. Residents struggled to keep up. Her eyes slid over all these things without so much as a blink.

When she rounded the corner and pushed through the heavy doors, the noise level dropped considerably. Erza's eyes strayed to the donor's plaque on the wall. She'd seen the plaque and the names on it hundreds of times before but they'd never meant much. Through the glass windows lining the wall of ICU-14 she could see a gracefully aging blonde woman and a stone-faced man who glared at her when she finally entered the room.

"It's about time," he grumbled.

"I apologize, Mister Fernandes," Erza said softly, taking the clipboard from an anxious colleague while simultaneously ignoring the pleading expression that came along with it. She glanced over the papers and finally met the eyes of her patient's parents. "It appears that he's very lucky."

"I appreciate the sentiment," Acnologia Fernandes interjected. His eyes zeroed in on her name tag and Erza bristled as his eyebrow twitched. "Doctor Scarlet, we've already been told all of this. My son needs an MRI."

"I already scheduled it. I can have the room in twenty minutes." Erza met his slate grey eyes steadily. "He'll have an EEG at six-thirty tomorrow morning, I'll be overseeing it myself."

"Good. I'm glad _someone_ around here knows how to spend all the money I've thrown into this facility." His gaze slid over to the only other man present and nodded once before slipping from the room.

"Please forgive my husband," the blonde woman said. "Jellal is all we have left. I know he's gruff but it's because he cares."

"I don't doubt it. The MRI will take about an hour and barring further complications, Jellal will be brought out of sedation after the EEG in the morning. I would recommend you both go home and get some rest, Mrs. Fernandes. I'll be here until he wakes up."

"Anna is fine," she replied sadly. "And thank you." The woman followed her husband's footsteps out of the room with one final glance back at her son in the bed. When they were both clear of the windows, Erza sighed heavily and had a better look at her patient. According to his chart he was the same age as her – even though all the tubes and wires made him look very small. She thought he resembled his father more than his mother.

"About dinner," Simon's voice startled her. Erza had forgotten about him immediately after he'd handed over the patient's charts.

"There's no need to discuss it further."

"I don't get a say?" His voice was pained. _"Erza –"_

"We agreed no first names at the hospital, remember?" She still hadn't turned to look at him but his indigence was palpable.

"That's it, then? As quickly as all that, it's over?" Simon was both oversimplifying and overcomplicating at the same time. The talent was possibly the most obnoxious thing about him. Erza finally spun around and slid her hands into the pockets of her white coat.

"I told you I wasn't looking for a romance." For such a large man, he seemed to crumple. She didn't enjoy hurting him but it seemed the most devastating blows were self inflicted. He should have known better than to expect more from her than what had been offered.

"I just thought –"

"When have you ever known me to not mean what I say?" she asked tightly. Discussing very personal things at the hospital in front of a, however unconscious, patient pissed her off.

"You can't change your mind later." He snapped. "This is it."

"For your sake, I certainly hope so." Erza hooked the clipboard to the foot of her patient's bed and whirled around to briskly exit the room.

The staff bathroom was somehow brighter than the hallway and her skin appeared thin and pale in the mirror – not unlike her new patient. Erza ran her fingers over the fine chain around her neck that dipped just below the high cut of her dress. She pulled the medallion out and curled her hand around it. Some days she wanted to rip the thing off and throw it away but other days – days like this one where she was both challenged as a doctor and a woman – she knew it had to stay. Erza didn't need to ask herself what her mother would've thought about carrying on a sexual affair with a colleague, though, she _did_ suspect any opinions given on the subject would be more along the lines of how Erza conducted her personal relationships in general.

Eileen had been a brilliant surgeon but her skills as a mother weren't quite as honed. She hadn't _meant_ to be a terrible mother at all, but she'd lost a part of herself on the operating table. It wasn't until just before her death that Erza realized everything Eileen locked away to be so damn good at her job – and how very much like that version of her mother she was becoming. She kept the silver Saint Luke medallion that had once hung around Eileen's neck as a reminder that excellence had a price.

Erza washed her hands with warm water to try and urge the chill from her fingers. She avoided her eyes in the mirror as she tucked every last stray wisp of red back into the twist. In a shocking miracle the only son of a wealthy donor had narrowly escaped being splattered all over the highway and she'd promised his mother a safely executed MRI and EEG.

* * *

"Will he be in pain?" Anna asked in a whisper. She lightly ran her fingers over her son's forearm.

"It's possible he'll experience some pain upon waking," Erza said, adjusting the IV. "But we can quickly manage it. The anesthesia has already been localized for problem areas like his ribs, the break in his wrist, tibia fracture, and dislocated shoulder. I'm sure Doctor Mikazuchi has already explained the finer points of that, though, I'm not an expert in orthopedics."

"He was here shortly before you arrived." Anna glanced at her husband who'd planted himself by the window overlooking the south side of the city. "We're grateful Jellal has been so well cared for, Doctor Scarlet."

"I didn't like the general physician we met earlier," Acnologia muttered.

"Doctor Milkovitch can be a little off putting," Erza said slowly. "She's a capable physician, though."

"Why can't _you_ take over my son's care?" he asked bluntly, finally turning from the window to pin her down with a glare. Erza raised an eyebrow and stepped around the edge of the bed.

"I'm a neurologist, Mister Fernandes. Your son's condition is stable but he suffered a very concerning head injury in the accident. That's the only reason I'm here at all. His MRI and EEG look very good with no internal bleeding or damage from what I can tell. I just want to make sure he's responsive before we can line up physical therapy."

Acnologia frowned at her but Erza didn't waver. "I suppose that's acceptable. I appreciate your frank honesty, Doctor Scarlet. Everyone else tiptoes around us and it upsets my wife."

"I don't care for miscommunications, Mister Fernandes," Erza said, not breaking her gaze. "In situations such as these –" A groan from the bed interrupted her and Erza turned back to the bed.

"Jellal?" Anna breathed. She brushed the strands of his hair back from his forehead as his eyes fluttered open. "Jellal, honey, can you hear me okay?"

Erza watched the man in the bed carefully as he wriggled his fingers and slowly became aware of the people in the room. He blinked and stared at Anna. His forehead crinkled as his eyes slid back and forth between his mother, father, and finally to Erza. A sinking feeling began to curl in her stomach as her patient continued to blink in apparent confusion.

"I'm sorry," he croaked in a ragged voice. "But where am I? And who are all of you?"

* * *

Erza tapped her pen against her lip frustratedly. She watched through the window glass as Jellal flipped through pages of a family photo album. His memory remained stubbornly patchy. Retrograde amnesia was a maddening diagnosis in her opinion.

"You never did like puzzles," a voice behind her said. Erza couldn't help the scowl that crept across her face.

"What are you doing here?" she muttered irritably.

"I was just curious. He's an odd duck of a case."

Erza spun around and fixed Simon with a cold glare. "He's a _patient_. Not an _odd duck_."

"It's good to know you're passionate about something, _Doctor Scarlet_ ," he hissed before stalking away.

Erza turned back to the window and stuffed the pen into her pocket. When she pushed open the door to his room, Jellal glanced up and smiled. She wished he wasn't so startlingly handsome.

"At the risk of sounding like a broken record," Erza said with a smirk. "How are you doing with the memory jog?"

"Well, at the risk of sounding like a broken record myself, I have to say it's going about the same as yesterday and the day before." His grin deepened the dimple in his left cheek and Erza reached for the pen in her pocket again. She needed to fidget.

"You're being released tomorrow."

"It's about time."

"Have they come to iron out your physical therapy yet?"

"Yep." Jellal set aside the photo albums and awkwardly arranged his free hand over the cast on his other. "I can look forward to at least four weeks of PT after this boot comes off my leg. My wrist will be another fun adventure. I've also been _graciously_ offered as much time off work as I could possibly need."

"Is that sarcasm?"

"I've never been one for sitting around, Doctor Scarlet." The way he said her name felt inappropriately private.

"Tell me about what you do."

"I'm a professor of astronomy at the university downtown. I have three hundred and sixty eight students this year. I graduated summa cum laude five years ago, which was one year ahead of my expected trajectory. I'm currently waiting for the department head to retire – he's almost seventy now – so I can take his place and –" he suddenly stopped speaking and frowned.

"Jellal?" Erza prodded softly. "What is it? You want to take your boss's place and then what?"

"I don't know," he whispered. "It's like a blank spot. I felt like I'd said those things a hundred times before but then... nothing." Jellal looked up and met her eyes. There was a distinct expression of sad confusion on his face. "I can't remember."

"I'm sorry," she offered, uselessly. Erza hated feeling useless. "You need time."

"I don't like hurting my mom. She's been so nice and helpful. Is it selfish that I enjoy that she loves me even though I can't remember her?"

"I'm not a psychologist, but I don't think that's selfish."

"She seems sad." His brow furrowed deeper. "I think she's keeping something from me."

"Did you discuss this with the psychologist you saw yesterday?"

"No," Jellal muttered. "I don't like him. I don't think I've ever..." he trailed off again. "What time are they letting me go tomorrow?"

"Probably before noon."

"Will I see you again?"

"I don't know." Erza clicked the pen open and shut inside her pocket. "Unless you wreck that motorcycle of yours again, probably not," she added with a grin.

Jellal's eye twitched. "I don't own a motorcycle."

"No? You were tearing down the highway on one the night you crashed. That's why your condition was so shocking. You could've been killed instantly." Erza watched him mull over her words.

"I would _never_ have a motorcycle," he insisted.

"Why not?"

"I – I don't know."

Erza brought the pen to her mouth again and bit the end of it in frustration.

* * *

"So," Mirajane said slowly, leaning across the bar while pushing forward a brand of beer Erza knew she kept in stock specifically for her. "What's going on with you?"

"I think I'm in a rut."

"What kind of rut? Work? Love? TV?" Mirajane smiled. "Please say TV because I just mainlined five seasons of a ridiculously campy show about brothers who chase down supernatural stuff and I need to talk about it with someone. Laxus's eyes just glaze over every time I bring it up."

"As delightful as that sounds, it's not TV."

"Boo." She stood straighter and leaned her hip against the bar. "What is it then? I'm a bartender, and may as well have a PhD in listening."

"I think I'm tired of my job."

Mirajane's eyebrows shot up. _"Really?"_

"I worded that wrong."

"Do you regret fucking Simon?"

Erza groaned. "That's part of it, I think. I don't know that I regret the sex part, just the part where he got too emotional and wouldn't stop blaming _me_ for sticking to the terms of our agreement."

"He's had a boner for you since college, though. You can't be surprised."

"I'm not, really. Just frustrated."

"Why?"

Erza watched the condensation roll down the sides of her beer bottle. "I think I'm becoming everything I hated about my mother. When I broke it off with Simon, I didn't feel anything."

"That's not really a fair example," Mirajane offered. "You aren't in love with him or even close to it."

"No, I guess not."

"You need a vacation. I bet if you took some time off and relaxed for a while you'd see things a lot clearer. Maybe you could transfer to another hospital?"

"That's a thought. There's a new children's wing opening up in a couple of months."

"I think a change of pace would be good for you."

"Working with kids would definitely be a change of pace," Erza said with a sigh.

"It might also help if you actually _talked_ about your _feelings_ every now and then. I'm always here."

"I know and I appreciate it." Erza stood and started to dig in her bag for her credit card.

"Don't you dare, Erza." Mirajane said firmly. "This one was on me."

"Have I ever mentioned how perfect it is to have a best friend who dropped out of grad school to be a bartender?"

"I think you may have brought it up once or twice."

* * *

Erza's apartment wasn't anywhere near the top of her price range but she enjoyed the familiarity of certain parts of town. She occupied one of three units on the fourth floor of ten. The previous year, building management offered to replace her carpet with wood flooring and Erza missed the crush of it under her feet. She liked soft things.

Mirajane's suggestion of a transfer stuck in her head like a splinter. The more she tried to disregard it, the deeper the possibility wormed into her brain. New walls, new patients, new air to breathe... all these things sounded wonderful. Only one thought needled her with doubt. As always, it was memories of her mother.

Before Eileen walked into a convenience store on Eighth and Preston where a frantic gunman took her life, she'd made a major decision. In a rare moment of openly displayed emotion, Eileen told Erza over dinner that after a career of blazing trails in surgical procedure she'd be taking over the pediatric surgery center at Magnolia General.

 _"It's time to give back, Erza,"_ she'd said softly. _"I chose this career because I wanted to help people but in the process I've alienated my daughter and found myself at the head of a private system that only helps those who can pay for it. That's not fair."_

In the few short months following Eileen's move, Erza had never seen her happier. They'd genuinely enjoyed each other's company and for the first time since she was a little girl, Erza felt like she had a real mother who cared about her day.

But then it was taken away. Just the twitch of a finger and Eileen was gone.

Erza stared at the unopened bottle of wine and left it on the counter. She'd always been a sad drunk unless Mirajane was around, and visiting the bar this late was out of the question. Erza snatched her laptop from the table with Netflix-esque intentions but somewhere between the dining table and her bed, curiosity took over. What ever happened to the too-good-looking-to-be-real amnesiac that had walked out of the hospital with parents he didn't remember? Erza thought a month was enough time to negate any unethical pangs.

She never expected his profile page of the university website to contain private medical information, but Erza was disappointed all the same. Jellal Fernandes's smile wasn't quite as bright in a browser window as it was in person but he was still just as handsome. A quick google search didn't turn up much beyond recent news stories about his philanthropist family.

Erza wondered if he'd recovered any of his memories or if he'd ever figured out the mystery of his motorcycle.

* * *

A looming presence was felt before she turned around and saw him in the doorway. Simon was scowling and Erza could tell his fists were balled in his pockets.

"So you're just going to leave?"

"You really need to stop asking me questions in such an accusing tone," Erza said lightly before going back to packing her office.

"Were you not going to say anything?"

"I said goodbye to everyone in this department, had a friendly handshake with the board members present for my transfer hearing, and now I'm packing my office."

"Erza –" His pleading in addition to the use of her first name, snapped the thread of composure in her head. Erza dropped the stack of files into the box with less care than she'd have liked.

"I think you should go."

"One day you're going to find yourself completely alone," Simon bit out. "And you'll regret pushing me away. You'll wind up just like _her_."

"You are _not_ my confidant, Simon," she hissed. "You _never_ were. If you want to say that you think I'm becoming my mother, go ahead. You can't hurt me that way. It's a laughable statement coming from a person who _didn't even know her_. I am who I am and I'm not even going to apologize for not returning your affections. I wasn't ever going to change for you."

Simon continued to scowl but said nothing more before whirling around and vacating her office. Erza leaned against the edge of her desk and sighed. Her decision to transfer to the new children's wing was starting to feel like one of the best choices she'd ever made.

* * *

Erza's eyes were on the pavement when the wheel of her push cart lodged in damp peat moss. She hadn't seen the unfinished flowerbeds in her rush to make it inside the building before the rain. Now, of course, that rush seemed a waste. Fat, cold drops of rain splattered on the pyramid of cardboard boxes and plastered her hair to her head. Erza glanced behind her in frustration at the barricades that were meant to protect the freshly painted sidewalk and curb. Apparently the flowerbeds were too obvious a peril to be blocked off – obvious to anyone who'd bothered to watch where they were going.

She snatched one of the boxes and dashed inside the hospital building. A set of sliding glass service doors opened for her and Erza left the box on the nearest bench before heading right back out. There was no way to dislodge the cart without relieving the weight. A man wearing a raincoat with a _North Side Children's Health_ logo on the breast appeared at her elbow and grabbed two boxes from the cart. Erza followed him inside and felt the chill of the air conditioning settle over her skin.

"Here," the man said, offering her a sweatshirt with the same logo. "I'll grab the last of your boxes and bring the cart under the awning. We'll get you a drier one for indoors. The custodial staff will throttle me if we track rainwater all over the floor."

Erza pulled the sweatshirt over her head and noted the fabric carried a light scent of laundry soap and not the typical stench of fresh silkscreen. The man stepped through the doors and a clap of thunder behind him announced the storm's official arrival.

"Thank you so much," Erza said, pulling her hair from the collar of the sweatshirt. "I can't believe I ran the cart right into the flowerbed. I feel terrible."

The pulled back the hood of his rain coat. He smiled and there was a familiar dimple in his left cheek that startled her. "Looks like I didn't have to get into another highway accident to see you again," Jellal Fernandes said, still smiling.

"I certainly hope you weren't trying to make that happen," Erza stammered, trying to fight back the warmth creeping into her face.

"I promise I wasn't, Doctor Scarlet. I'm surprised to see you here."

"Well, technically I _shouldn't_ be here quite yet but I guess I've never been one for sitting around." Erza couldn't stop a smirk and the jibe was worth it when his dimple deepened. "I'm still on vacation, but I thought I'd get a head start on my new office."

"New office?"

"I transferred here. I needed a change, I guess." Erza glanced around the empty service hallway. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Well," Jellal slid his hands into his pockets. "My dad likes to write checks but I'm more of a hands-on kind of guy."

"I see. Have you recovered your memories then?"

His smile faltered. "Not exactly."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. It's none of my business, really –"

"It's fine, Doctor Scarlet."

"Erza." As soon as she'd said it, she cringed internally and scrambled to explain herself. "You're not my patient anymore and this isn't even the hospital where I treated you so I don't think that kind of formality is completely necessary... unless you –"

"Erza, then." His smile smoothed out all the wrinkles inside of her. "I'll grab a dry cart and let you get on your way."

"Right," she breathed as he disappeared around a corner. Titles and last names had always been her professional barrier. A refuge from anyone who might try and get too close. Insisting on a first name basis with a former patient was a new – but not altogether uncomfortable – experience.

Jellal returned with a fresh cart and helped her re-stack the boxes.

"So what have you been up to today? You mentioned the custodial staff." Erza winced at her own pitiful attempt at small talk. She'd never been good at it.

"A lot of the art on the walls is appliqué and some of the edges needed handling. One mural in particular was placed over some drywall with a texture that wasn't exactly meant for adhesive. I spent my morning handling that disaster."

"I see."

"The custodial staff is worried about dust coating everything, which is completely fair."

Erza didn't stop him from taking the loaded cart and escorting her to the elevator. She didn't even try to deny that she enjoyed his company. Jellal went on to describe the fine details of drywall dust and paint, only stopping when they reached the elevators. He released the cart and shrugged off the raincoat.

"I suppose you want your sweater back now?" she asked ruefully.

"No, you can keep it. It looks better on you than me anyway." The elevator chimed and the doors slid open. "Neurology is on the third floor, I think," he said, smiling again. "I'll see you around, Erza." Jellal left her in the empty hallway feeling lightheaded. She had no time to recover before pushing the cart into the lift before the doors closed again.

Erza found her office easily and was grateful she'd taken the time to study the map emailed to her beforehand. An adventure in the rain, the sudden appearance of a ridiculously attractive former patient, and the ensuing flirtatious banter would've been enough to mangle any sense of direction otherwise.

The office's walls were blank and the only occupants of the room were the desk, a chair still covered in plastic film, and the set of bookshelves lining the wall opposite the desk. It was the windows that captured her attention. The five panes of floor to ceiling glass brought a wide smile to her face and Erza knew in her heart she'd found the better place she'd been looking for.

Late afternoon brought the realization that her windows faced west and vertical blinds would be a necessity. She left her office – which was now a clutter of papers, picture frames, and file boxes – and decided to take the longer way back through the building to the parking lot.

Each corridor had it's own brightly colored motif and framed works of art depicting popular cartoon characters. Eventually she circled around to the main entrance of the hospital wing and found the mural Jellal had mentioned earlier. All the texture had been removed from the wall and the new surface was smooth and ready for whatever came next. Erza spotted him rolling out the last sheet of protective plastic over the tile floor.

"Still at it, huh?" she asked.

"In a dramatic turn of events, the board decided not to replace the appliqué. A local artist will be handling this canvas now, so I'm just making sure the tile isn't destroyed by paint."

"Your dedication is impressive." Erza watched him tamp the edges of the plastic down before joining her at the edge of the lobby.

"Volunteer work is important to me... or _was_ , I think. A children's hospital seems appropriate." He smiled down at her with a wistful sadness. "I need to fill my days with something."

"Are you hungry?" Erza blurted. "There's a place about a half block down that has great kebabs. We can even walk since it's stopped raining." She paused, embarrassed at her forwardness. "Only if you want to, of course! You could be a vegetarian for all I know and in that case –"

"That sounds great, Erza." Jellal gestured back toward the service hallway they'd come through before. Erza followed him and wondered how he managed to pull her so far out of herself that she actually _rambled_. Excited anxiety was completely new to her.

Once they were outside, the setting sun blazed behind swaths of lingering clouds and the sight of it made her heart seem even lighter.

"Do you live around here?" he asked as they began the short trek to the restaurant.

"I do, actually. I've lived in this neighborhood off and on since I was a kid. I don't think I could ever leave." She glanced up to find him smiling.

"It suits you."

"Does it?"

"I think so. At least it suits the side of you I'm seeing today."

" _This_ side of me?"

"Well, there's Doctor Scarlet; Neurologist Extraordinaire, but then there's just Erza." He nudged her arm with his. "I think I prefer just Erza. Don't get me wrong, Doctor Scarlet is great! She's capable and professional and clearly very good at her job, but just Erza is something else entirely." Erza's cheeks felt as red as the lingering sunlight smeared across the sky.

The restaurant was situated between a dry cleaners and a comic book store. Aromas of roasting meat and vegetables carried out to the street where a few tables were situated. Jellal held the door open for her and Erza led the way inside. She picked a table along the far wall and Jellal sat opposite her. For a moment she watched him study the menu while formulating an intelligent ice breaker.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Ask away," Jellal said with a smile. He folded his arms over the laminated menu and leaned forward.

"You mentioned before that volunteer work was important to you and a children's hospital seemed appropriate. Is there a reason for that?" He didn't answer until their waitress brought drinks and collected their menus.

"I have, er, _had_ a sister," he started slowly. Erza quirked an eyebrow. "She passed away several years ago, according to my mom. Her name was Meredy."

"I'm so sorry for bringing that up, I didn't know –"

"It's completely fine." He smiled again but Erza couldn't quite squash her guilt. "You couldn't have known. She was fifteen when she died. I haven't been able to get any details from my mom about it and I don't really care to just look it up online. I'd rather remember on my own or hear it from her. If that makes any sense at all."

"It does make sense. Facts with no context aren't always going to be helpful if you're trying to recall emotions and memories. Is that why you're throwing yourself into volunteer work for _North Side?_ "

"Yeah, I mean, I know it won't bring any memories back – if I wanted to try that route I'd visit Magnolia General."

Erza's hand that had been stirring the ice in her glass froze. "Magnolia General?"

"Yeah, mom said that's where she was treated before she died." Before Erza could prod him more, the waitress brought their food.

Jellal couldn't recall ever having kebabs before, but declared them the most delicious thing he'd eaten in his life. He insisted on paying and Erza wondered if the meal counted as a date – she wouldn't mind at all if it did.

They lingered in the restaurant until the sun set and he offered his arm for the walk back. The rain had left a chill in the air and Erza was grateful for the excuse to press herself into his side. She was sad to see the night end when they arrived at her car.

"Thank you for dinner, Jellal," she said, reluctantly letting go of his arm.

"I should be thanking _you_ for introducing me to something new." His smile faded into a concentrated focus and he reached up to touch a strand of her hair lifted by the evening breeze. "Can I ask you a ridiculous question?"

"Anything."

"Have we met before?" He curled the strand of hair around his finger and seemed to be fixated on it. "Not before today, of course, but... _before._ "

"I don't think so." Erza frowned and bit her lip in thought. "I – I'd remember you."

Jellal sighed and released her hair. "I'm relying on your memory, then. I feel like there's something on the very tip of my mind."

"What kind of something?"

"I don't know," he muttered. "I felt it earlier in the restaurant and just now..." Jellal trailed off and shook his head. "Sorry. Memory loss is a tricky thing."

"I can't even imagine." She smiled at the way he awkwardly stuffed his hands in his pockets and grinned. "Thank you for what you said before, by the way. About Doctor Scarlet and just Erza. Sometimes I lose myself. I guess it's a trait I inherited from my mother." Erza pulled at his wrist and let her hand slid into his. "It's nice to be seen."

"You're welcome, Erza. Hopefully I'll see you again very soon." Jellal quickly brushed his lips over the back of her hand and left her alone beside her car. She watched him jog across the empty parking lot to another parked car before sliding into the driver's seat.

* * *

"You look better." Mirajane's observation left no room for argument.

"I _feel_ better," Erza said lightly.

"I'm glad. I worry about you sometimes, Erza. You get so intense and I can almost see the wires tightening in your head." Mirajane's eyes didn't soften as she scrutinized her friend. "There's something else, too."

Erza stiffened. "I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, you do." Her finger circled the rim of her water glass – Mirajane never drank alcohol on the clock. "Your shift in mood is almost a complete one-eighty."

"I'm just happier is all."

"You can't know you'll be happier already because you haven't even started taking patients yet." Mira smirked. "Did you give Simon a final mercy hump to take the edge off?"

Erza wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Absolutely not."

"So it's someone else, then?"

"No!" Erza nudged her empty beer bottle toward Mirajane and sighed heavily. "Yes. _Yes,_ there's someone but it's _very_ new and I don't know where it's going or even where I _want_ it to go."

"Tell me about New Guy. Where did you meet?"

"At work... _kind of_."

"You need to stop fishing off the company dock, sweetie."

"No, no it's not like that at all. He's not a colleague."

Mirajane's eyebrows climbed upward and her lips twisted into a wicked grin. "Are you dating a patient? _Erza!_ That's so unlike you! He must be _amazing_ in bed."

"He isn't a patient anymore, and I have no idea what he's like in bed."

"Well, that's better. For _you_ , I mean. Dating patients is messy business." Mirajane replaced Erza's beer and leaned over the bar again. "I just want you to be happy. You deserve it."

"I'm trying." Erza felt her cheeks flush and she giggled uncharacteristically. "I'm _really_ trying.

* * *

Erza slid the last file drawer shut and spun around to appreciate the clean space. Her office wasn't exactly what she wanted it to be yet, but there was still another week or so before she could start taking patients. There was plenty of time. She ran her fingers along the newly installed vertical blinds and admired all the empty floor space before falling backwards into her chair. A soft knock on the open door drew her attention.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course!"

Jellal's eyes strayed to the windows. "That's some view."

"It is, but it's blinding after four o'clock. The shades were necessary." Erza watched him perch on the edge of her desk and felt the same giddy anticipation she always felt in his company. "Are you excited to go back to your classes?"

"I would be _more_ excited if I had an office like this one." He glanced back at her over his shoulder and grinned. "I'm afraid there won't be any improvement on that front until the department head retires. Doctorates don't mean anything when you're not in charge."

"I won't be spending the majority of my day here," Erza said with a sigh. "It's probably a waste to care what it looks like at all."

"Did you have an office like this before you moved?"

"I had an office, but the transfer wound up being a bit of a promotion for me. This is a perk, I guess."

Jellal stood again and offered her a hand. She took it and when he pulled her into his side, she sighed. Flirting and shared lunches had progressed to a need for physical contact. Erza sucked in a breath and decided to get things moving.

"Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?" At first she wasn't sure if she'd actually said the words because they felt surreal. Everything about being with Jellal felt fantastically surreal. He turned to face her and gathered the bulk of her hair into his hand and let it fall down her back.

"To your place?" he asked in a voice that settled itself low in her belly.

"Yeah. I'm not terrible in the kitchen and I'd like to see you somewhere..." Erza trailed off and felt a blush creeping. "Well, somewhere that's not _here._ "

"What time?"

"Whatever is best for you. I don't know if you have plans or anything."

"Erza," he said in the soft way that drew her eyes to his mouth. "Any time with you is the best time of my day."

"I, uh, six is good... or seven. Just, you know, whenever."

Jellal grinned and she felt his fingers toying with the hair at the base of her neck. "Six, then."

"Six is perfect." Her gaze fell to his lips again and Jellal's thumb brushed over the edge of her jaw just before he surprised her by ducking his head and kissing her. He was insistent but soft and when he pulled away Erza couldn't quite catch her breath.

"You should probably give me your phone number."

Erza blinked. "What?"

"So you can text me your address and I'll know it's you," he said with a light chuckle.

"Oh, of course!" Erza fumbled in her jacket pocket for her phone and handed it over so he could send himself a text message. The phone was warm when he returned it to her.

"I'll see you tonight."

It wasn't until he left that Erza remembered she didn't have anything worthy of serving guests and a trip to the grocery store would be necessary before she could rush home and shower.

* * *

Jellal arrived exactly at six o'clock and handed over a bottle of wine. As a chronic beer drinker, Erza was grateful she even owned a corkscrew and wine glasses. The dinner she'd prepared wasn't quite ready and when she joined Jellal in her living room he was examining her bookshelves.

"I expected to find these filled with medical reference and college textbooks." He smirked around the edge of his wineglass. "I'm a little embarrassed because that's pretty much all I've got on my own shelves."

"I'm a romance novel junkie," Erza admitted with a blush. "It's unadulterated escapism." Her embarrassment deepened when he pulled one particularly salacious title from the shelf.

"My mom has this one." He chuckled before replacing it. "It was sitting out on the couch when I was over last."

"She has good taste," Erza said, trying not to laugh. "To think I read the same smut as your mom. I wouldn't blame you for leaving immediately."

"We'll just chalk it up to good taste, how about that?" He took her hand and squeezed gently. The oven timer chimed and Erza returned the squeeze before leaving his side. She finished off her wine glass and pulled the pan from the oven.

When she found Jellal again he was intently staring at a framed photo on the far bookshelf. His brow was furrowed and she didn't think he heard her approach at all.

"Jellal?" Erza said softly, touching his elbow. "The food is ready." She glanced from his face to the photo. It was one of herself and her mother taken after Erza completed her master's degree – just two years before Eileen's death. "Is everything okay?"

"Who is this woman?" he asked in a breath.

"My mother."

"Doctor Belserion," he whispered. "I _know_ her."

Erza tugged on his elbow and he finally dragged his eyes from the photo. His expression was wide and his mind appeared to be moving at a million miles an hour. She didn't want to disrupt any of his revelations but had to ask. "How did you know my mother?"

"Uh, I didn't. I mean, not like _know her_ , know her. But..." Jellal turned his head back to the photo. "She was the one who operated on Meredy. She tried to save my sister's life." He paused and glanced at Erza again. "I think it was the color of your hair. We were having kebabs for dinner and something tickled in my mind."

Erza was stunned. She'd had almost three years with the version of her mother she loved, and sometime within that space Eileen had tried to save Meredy Fernandes... and failed.

"Yeah, I guess it's a family thing. The hair, I mean. We looked very much alike. Do you need to sit down?"

"No, I'm just kind of reeling." Jellal turned away from the bookshelf entirely and focused on Erza. "Your mother was brilliant – but I'm sure you know that. My parents were completely bereft but your mom fought so hard for my sister. It was amazing. _She_ was amazing." He stared down at Erza and blinked rapidly. "I can't believe I forgot all this stuff."

"That's the nature of amnesia, Jellal."

"It was like gazing into a void – just a bunch of blank spaces where my life was supposed to be. I remember _not_ remembering."

"My mother didn't work out of Magnolia General for long," Erza whispered. "She, um, she transferred there because she wanted a change."

"That sounds familiar," Jellal said, smiling.

"She died just a few years later."

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I didn't know. We don't have to talk about this."

"It's fine. Those last years were the best memories I have." She smiled up at him and swiped at an unexpected tear. "We weren't close when I was growing up. She was a workaholic and when you're brilliant, and a doctor, and a _woman,_ it's hard."

"She was very kind to my family. Especially my mom."

"She changed so much in those years. I – I didn't realize how much I loved her until she was almost gone." Jellal wrapped his arm around her shoulders and Erza couldn't stop her own arms from finding their way around his middle.

"What an unbelievable coincidence," he muttered. Erza's stomach rumbled and she hid her face in his sweater in embarrassment. "I've delayed dinner with an epiphany."

"I didn't want to interrupt you," she murmured.

"I have plenty to mull over later, let's eat."

By the time dinner was finished, the bottle of wine was empty. Jellal helped her wash the dishes and accepted a bottle of the beer Mirajane always had waiting for her. He joined her on the couch and told her about his sister. Meredy was significantly younger than him and had been a surprise to everyone. They'd been very close and her death was what propelled him to pursue a doctorate – admittedly a distraction from his grief.

Erza relieved him of his empty beer bottle and when she relaxed back into the couch cushions, his fingers caught the glittering Saint Luke medallion.

"Are you Catholic?" he asked, running his thumb over the silver charm.

"No, but I think my grandparents were. This was a gift to my mother when she got into medical school. It's the only thing of hers I really wanted after she died."

"You wear it all the time."

"I do. My feelings towards it are an evolving thing, but I don't think I could ever get rid of it."

Jellal's hand slid to the side of her neck and his fingers wound up in her hair. Erza touched his wrist before closing the distance between their bodies and kissing him. She couldn't remember the last time she'd wanted anyone so badly – in fact Erza didn't think there'd been such a time at all. He pulled her into his lap and her knees pressed into the cushions on either side of his waist. There was something very _right_ about having him between her legs even though they were both still fully clothed.

He kissed her with absolutely no urgency and Erza fell into his pace easily. His fingers slid through her hair and fell to her waist. She couldn't help gasping in delight when his kisses moved to her neck – that particular spot was a weakness. His tongue pressed lightly against her skin before Erza felt the tugging pressure of an open mouthed kiss. She arched into him and he responded by suddenly flipping her onto her back and stretching his body over hers. The couch accepted their weight with grace.

Erza's hands found the hem of his shirt, and then his chest beneath. He didn't stop her from pulling his sweater off or the undershirt. She let her arm fall lazily above her head while her other hand closed in his hair. His kisses moved from her neck to the swell of her breasts before he met her eyes again.

"Erza," he said softly, his breath fanning over her skin. "Is this what you want?"

"I want _you,"_ she breathed. Jellal's hands slid under her back and Erza arched upward as he pushed her shirt over her head. His mouth fell to the purple lace cups at eye-level and she tried to stifle a shiver.

Jellal rose over her and took her lips in a fierce kiss. Erza's legs wrapped tightly around him and she shamelessly enjoyed the friction. His hand grasped her thigh and she sucked in a ragged breath when his fingers found the throbbing place between her legs. Impulsively, she grabbed his wrist.

"If we start this on the couch, I'm not going to want to break to move." Erza smiled and pushed him backwards to sit up. She took his hand and pulled him from the couch. On the short path to her bedroom she worked his belt buckle loose. Two pairs of pants were left on the floor before he crawled over her. Jellal kissed her mouth, her breasts, and just below her navel. His fingers hooked in the edges of her panties and he didn't break eye contact as he slid them down her legs.

A string of whispered expletives fell from Erza's lips when his breath touched her and then his mouth. Her lips parted but no sound came out. His tongue drew shapes into her like a brand. When his fingers found a spot inside of her that made her eyes squeeze shut, she tugged on his hair but he didn't relent. The orgasm filled her mind with white light and every inch of her body tingled.

Jellal's chest pressed against hers and he kissed her with unapologetic abandon. The taste of her was still on his lips when he entered her hard and fast. His hips pounded into hers and with every thrust Erza felt a pressure building inside of her. He whispered her name against her lips and pinned her thigh against her chest.

Her second climax came slower but just as intense. Erza's leg fell loosely around his waist and she cupped his cheeks with her hands. Jellal smiled, kissed her gently, and lowered himself to the mattress beside her. His fingers ran through her hair and settled on her naked hip. The air around them felt thick and humid.

"Will you stay?" she whispered.

"As long as you want me to." Jellal pressed a kiss to her forehead and Erza closed her eyes with a brand new contentment in her chest.

XXX

The sky was still dark when she woke but the bed was empty. Jellal's pants were gone but his shoes and socks were still scattered on her bedroom floor. She pulled on her panties and a fresh shirt before wandering out to the living room to find him.

Jellal was on her balcony, seemingly stargazing, in nothing but his pants. His belt still hung open and his hands were hidden in his pockets.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked softly.

"A little."

"What's wrong?" He turned to her with a distinctly sad expression.

"I finally figured out what I was doing on a motorcycle that night," he said slowly. "I didn't think to remember it before."

Erza's grip on the balcony door tightened. She remembered his reaction to the news that he'd had a motorcycle accident and his adamant denial that he'd even been the owner of one – much less driving it on a highway.

"It was the day before her birthday. I'd bought the motorcycle on a whim and she wanted a ride. Of course my mom put her foot down and said no. Meredy bugged me for weeks about it." Jellal's eyes fell to his bare feet and he laughed dryly. "She finally wore me down when mom and dad were out. I was on break, and bored." He frowned. "I was always so damn _bored._ "

"Jellal –"

"She trusted me," he whispered, defeatedly. "I wasn't even speeding! Some fucking moron in a brand new Ferrari he couldn't fucking control nearly sideswiped me. The bike went all over the place. It didn't even matter that she was in the leathers and helmet I'd bought her as a gift. They were a poor attempt to convince my mom to let her ride with me." Jellal's fists balled in his pockets and Erza's throat closed. "She didn't stand a chance. She was tiny."

"I'm so sorry." At a complete loss, Erza slid her arms around his waste and pressed her face into his back.

"The worst part of it was my parents not even blaming me. I felt like they should've. Even with everything your mom did, she still died." Jellal's hand settled over hers and she felt a tremor. "The night of my accident I remember I was cleaning out my storage unit. I've been meaning to move out of my shitty studio apartment but it's a lot of work when your _boss_ is trying to retire and _you're_ trying to take on a whole department."

He didn't continue for several long moments. Erza gave him time. Memories of regret were always the hardest.

"I found a stack of invoices from her party that we never had. I let the guilt get the better of me and wanted to see if I could manage my bike again. This one thought kept banging on me over and over. If I could take the bike out and be _safe,_ then I'd know for sure it was _my fault,_ and then everyone could blame me properly."

"That isn't how these things work, Jellal," she whispered into his back.

"I know that now. Grief is an intoxicating thing. Anyway, you know the rest. I don't know how I managed to survive _two_ motorcycle accidents but here I am."

Erza stepped around to the front of him and touched his cheek. It was cold and damp. "Death isn't an equation we can solve. It's an indiscriminate force. There isn't a scale somewhere balancing it all out. I know because I've looked."

Jellal sighed and let his forehead fall to hers. "Life is funny. I lost my sister, lost my memories, and then I found you. I don't know that I'd make any changes or trades." His arms came around her and Erza felt tears of her own on the cold fabric of his shirt.

* * *

She watched him toss the bill of sale into the box and seal it shut with a strip of tape. Jellal pulled the unit door closed and knelt down to hook the padlock through the loops. He finally stepped back and smiled at her over his shoulder.

"Ready?" Erza asked.

"Yep. Let's get out of here." He dropped a kiss on her cheek before rounding the car and taking his place behind the steering wheel.

"Good, I'm hungry and if I don't get the books unpacked today I'm going to lose my mind."

"We'll pick up lunch on the way home."

Erza loved the way he said the word _home_. Not _her_ home or _his_ home, just _home_. When Jellal pulled out of the storage facility's parking lot she felt ten thousand pounds lighter. The unit contained the paper remnants of his motorcycle, the old folders full of Eileen Belserion's published medical journals, and receipts from a birthday party that never got the chance to happen. Both Jellal and Erza had come to terms with loss. The past would no longer lurk in corners but it also had no place in the new life they were trying to build.

On the walls of their new home they would have photos of their families that brought only joy. Meredy would forever be smiling and Eileen would have her arm around Erza's shoulder. The rest of the space, they'd fill themselves.


	59. To Distraction

_**"Wicked-Lady asked: You're my roommate who's super cute and it's the middle of the night and you're cramming for your exams in your flannel pajamas and disheveled hair and it's becoming increasingly hard for me not to kiss you"**_

 _ **I tried to sneak some smut in there but it just didn't happen. *sad trombone***_

* * *

 **To Distraction**

* * *

Erza's pen tapped against her mouth in a nonsensical pattern. The tip of the cap indented her bottom lip and the swell of it was distracting. Her fingers dragged through the hair that was slowly being pulled from it's braid. Curls of untidy red slipped through her fingers and the loosened strands added to her overall rumpled aesthetic. She muttered to herself and scribbled in the margins of her notebook – Erza had a laptop but she hated digital notes. Pages to turn, pens in her hand, and a bag of unused pencils in the top drawer of her desk were all a requirement.

Jellal sighed and shuffled the corner of the book pages with his finger. He wasn't reading any of it and hadn't been for quite some time. His eyes flit from the swimming words in front of him to Erza – who was poking at her lip again. She frowned and the tip of the pen strayed into her hair. Suddenly, she looked up and caught him staring. Jellal's heart skipped a beat and he shrunk down behind his book – the couch cushions aiding him in his retreat.

"What?" she asked quietly. "Is my pen leaking again? Is there ink on my face?" He peeked over the top of his book again to see her inspecting her pen and wiping her chin.

"No, it's fine," he muttered.

"You were staring."

"I wasn't." Jellal startled when Erza's fingers curled around the top edge of his book and pushed it down into his chest. She was leaning across the coffee table between them with one hand planted on the couch cushion nearest his head.

"You _were."_

"It wasn't on purpose?" he offered lamely. Erza eyed him closely before collapsing back to the other side of the table.

"Sorry," she murmured. "I'm just in a mood."

"Why?" Jellal dropped the pretense and set aside his book.

"I'm going to fail this exam, I can feel it."

"Is it an exam? Already?" He grinned slightly and enjoyed the blush on her cheeks.

"Well, no, it's more like a _test_." Erza glanced up at him and his grin widened. " _Okay,_ it's an assessment! But I still want to do well on it and none of this stuff fits together like it should!" She petulantly flicked the tip of her pen into a spin on the tabletop.

"I can help if you want. Math is kind of my thing."

"Thanks but I really need to learn it myself. I get the idea of it but my brain doesn't like this stuff." Erza's frown, while adorable, made him feel like he needed to fix it. He felt her eyes on him as he left the couch for their small kitchen but she didn't follow.

Erza was still hunched over her notepad when he returned with two sandwiches and a can of ginger ale. She let him trade her pen for a sandwich and he reached across the table for a pencil.

"First of all," he said, scanning her notes. "I'd recommend a pencil for stuff like this. Mistakes are much easier to fix." She finished off her sandwich and half of his before leaning into his side and focusing. Jellal took his time explaining the graphs and points.

"You'd make a great teacher, Jellal," Erza said closing her notebook when he finished. "You're so kind and patient. Plus, kids love you."

Jellal laughed lightly, and tossed the pencil back to the crease in his book. "I'll take that into consideration before applying for grad school."

"I really appreciate you helping me out." Erza smiled and wrapped her hands around his arm. "I mean it."

"You're always welcome, Erza." He found her gazing up at him with an expression he couldn't quite name. His fingers brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and trailed over the curve of her neck. She didn't protest his touch or look away at all. "Do you ever wonder how things might be if we –"

"No," she interrupted softly. "I don't have to wonder. It would be just like this. Just like we are now." Erza lifted herself between him and the table. Her arms slid over his shoulders and her forehead pressed gently to his.

"I don't know if I could go backwards," Jellal breathed, his arms circling her waist.

"What makes you think we'd ever need to?" she asked. Erza was slowly closing the space between them and he couldn't bring himself to consider stopping her. His eyes fell to her lips and Jellal made a decision.

* * *

Erza had been right. Their life didn't change much – except that _everything_ had changed. The scent of her soap mingled with his in the bed sheets. Her clothes were all mixed up with hers and he hadn't slept alone in weeks. It was almost like they'd finally snapped the last puzzle piece into place after years of work.

And he never stopped wanting to kiss her.


	60. An Absence of Balls

_**"Anonymous asked: There's a scrawny black cat in our neighborhood that hates everyone and everything but follows you around for some reason and I see you pet it and feed it fish fries are you a witch"**_

 _ **Yay! Sixty requests! Thanks, guys!**_

* * *

 **An Absence of Balls**

* * *

Erza lifted her arm above her head and checked the patch of skin underneath for smoothness a final time. Her wrist bumped the toothbrush handle poking out of her mouth and the plastic head knocked against her teeth. In the rush to be sure her legs and arms were smooth – in hindsight the knee length, sleeveless dress may have been too ambitious – she'd forgotten to finish brushing her teeth. Erza ran the brush over the top and bottom rows twice as she rinsed the soap from her body and spit the toothpaste into the water rushing down the shower drain.

Her fingers found no purchase on the towel rack and a quick peek from behind the shower curtain revealed she'd forgotten to grab a towel. Erza sighed laboriously and turned the water off. Better to accept the chilled air all at once than suffer as the steam slowly dissipated. She flung the shower curtain back and stepped onto the plush rug. It was three steps from the rug to the linen closet and she thought, if she hurried, she could make it there and back with minimal dripping.

Before she could take a single step, though, Erza's eyes climbed the opposite wall up to the pair of rectangular hopper windows. She scowled. The black cat had returned and he was _staring_ down at her from the other side of the glass. Erza didn't know how the intruder managed to perch on such a small ledge. Her hands came up to cover her chest indignantly. The cat didn't even blink. Still scowling, Erza whirled around and made a dash for the linen closet but by the time she'd wrapped a towel around herself, the cat was gone.

As she smoothed the front of her dress, she decided the extra time investment to shave had been worth it. Erza – somewhat vainly, perhaps – fluffed her hair, and smiled at herself one last time. Kagura would accuse her of blowing a simple business meeting out of proportion but not everyone could just roll out of bed perfectly coiffed. Unlike her best friend, Erza, in her own opinion, required effort. And, in her opinion, such efforts should be appreciated.

She saved her shoes for last and slid her feet into the heels just before grabbing her bag. The morning air greeted her in a rush and Erza took a deep, satisfied breath. Today would be _perfect_. Well, _almost_ perfect. Between her and her car, sat the black cat. He stared at her, and she stared right back at him. The hair on her arms ruffled and Erza bit her lip. Surely the creature wouldn't be so bold as to attack her... right? She took one step toward the car and he eased forward into a seemingly casual cat-loaf.

"What do you want from me?" she whispered. "You've already seen me naked. I have nothing else to give you!"

Suddenly, the cat's ears twitched and his eyes flit from Erza to somewhere behind her. Without warning he darted from her path and across the yard. She spun around to follow him with her eyes and frowned. Any semblance of intimidating peeping tom was gone as the cat walked in figure-eights around her new neighbor's ankles. His tail curled around the man's calves and Erza swore she could hear the beast actually purring from a yard and a half away. The man crouched down and pulled bits of something from the pocket of his sweat pants. He smiled as the cat delicately took the bits right from his fingers.

Erza jumped when her phone blared. Her neighbor's gaze flew from the cat to her. As the phone in her bag continued to screech an embarrassing ringtone, Erza spun around and dashed to her car without even trying to dig the phone out. She'd have to call Kagura back because there was no way she'd stick around to take a call in her driver's seat with both the offending cat _and_ her neighbor watching.

* * *

Kagura wrinkled her nose at the sun-faded cushions on the patio chairs before primly taking a seat. Erza practically fell into her chair. She couldn't be bothered by a few stray leaves when everything about their meeting had gone as well as it possibly could. Not even the lunch menu held her attention. Kagura sighed and ordered for them both.

"You're vibrating, Erza," she muttered when their waiter disappeared to fetch drinks. "It's exhausting me."

"I'm not sorry. Today was amazing!"

"It was _expected._ "

"I don't know, I felt like they could've gone either way."

Kagura's eyebrow twitched. "You're kidding right? They loved you. Especially the bride. I think she'd have left that idiot she's marrying for the right cake." She tapped her perfectly manicured nails on the glass tabletop. "She'd be better off."

"You're such a misandrist," Erza chided with a grin.

"That's not true." Kagura smirked and sat straighter when their drinks were placed on fresh napkins. "Your _neighbor_ is frustratingly attractive."

Erza's lip curled. "Finding a man attractive doesn't mean you aren't a hater. Anyway, I don't want to talk about him."

"Why? Did something happen? Something scandalous, maybe?" Kagura grinned wickedly.

" _What?_ No! I don't even know his name!"

"His last name is Fernandes."

Erza blinked. "How do you know that?"

"Simon told me." Kagura hesitated and eyed Erza carefully. "The number fifteen fire station threw a retirement party for their Captain. Simon was there with a couple of other police officers and apparently this Fernandes guy is a recent transfer."

"I see." Erza rearranged her silverware quietly.

"I'm sorry for bringing him up." Kagura said softly.

"It's fine. He's your brother and it's going to happen from time to time."

"For the record, I'm on your side. Your relationship with him was toxic. He'll get over it."

"You're a good friend, Kagura."

"The _best,_ actually _._ "

The waiter returned with their lunch orders and quickly bowed away. Erza picked all the chicken pieces from her salad and ate them separately. Mixing textures was intolerable. Kagura, wisely, did not comment. She'd grown used to Erza's quirks over the years. Once her plate was free of meat she began to, more leisurely, eat the vegetables.

"A cat saw me naked this morning," she said offhandedly.

"I – what?" Kagura stopped with her fork midway to her mouth. "A cat... saw you naked?"

"He was watching me get out of the shower from those horrible windows in my bathroom."

"Why haven't you put shades over those yet? How long have you lived in that house?"

"I don't know, a few years? _Anyway,_ it made me feel dirty."

"Well, now you have an incentive to cover the windows."

"It got weirder, too. On my way out, this stalker was sitting on my car like he owned it."

"He _has_ seen you naked. Maybe he thinks you're together now?"

"Why are you like this?" Erza asked dryly, shaking her head. "He ended up taking off to hang out with my neighbor, and _get this,_ " She leaned forward over her plate. "He actually ate from this guy's hand! I didn't even know cats did that kind of thing but there he was, munching pieces of whatever like he hadn't been peeping on me in the shower a half hour before."

"So let me see if I have this right," Kagura stirred the ice in her glass while eyeing Erza skeptically. "A stray cat is spying on you in the bathroom and seems to be in thrall of your neighbor?"

"Thrall is a weird word choice, but yes."

Kagura set aside her fork and dabbed at her lips with a napkin. "Is this the same stray who hissed at me from your flower bed that one time? Because I think that animal is either rabid or possessed."

"Same cat," Erza muttered.

"Maybe your neighbor is a witch and the cat is his familiar."

"He's not a witch." Erza shifted uncomfortably in the booth across from Kagura. "I don't think men can be witches anyway."

"Sure they can," Kagura said dismissively, tossing her glossy black hair over her shoulder. "Though I will say he has poor taste in familiars. That cat is disgusting."

"This conversation is ridiculous."

"Why? I think it's perfectly reasonable to assume he's dabbling in dark magic. I'm not interested in men at all and I find him disgustingly attractive."

"You just like pretty things, and anyway the cat predates him. He can't be a familiar if he was around before my neighbor even moved in."

"Maybe the cat was a scout." Erza pursed her lips and Kagura laughed. "Alright, alright. So the guy is nice to strays. You should talk to him if he's truly a pussy whisperer."

Erza choked on her iced tea and swiped at her watering eyes with a napkin. "Jesus, Kagura, you're so gross sometimes."

"I'm just saying. You need to get laid." Kagura shrugged as if the comment weren't anything but the absolute truth.

* * *

Erza tossed her phone to the couch cushions and dashed to the stove. The stench of burning syrup filled the kitchen and her smoke alarm began to go off in loud peals. She pulled an insulated glove from a drawer, grabbed the burning saucepan, and tried to avoid breathing in too much of the smoke as she ran out onto the front porch. The sound of the smoke alarm spilled into the street as she left the small pot on the brick railing.

"Hey, are you okay?" Erza turned to find her neighbor at her side. He touched her elbow and regarded her with concern.

"I'm fine," she managed to say. "I just got distracted and forgot about the sugar."

"Sugar?" he asked with one raised eyebrow.

"Syrup. I was making simple syrup on the stove." Erza's face felt ridiculously warm.

"Where's your smoke alarm? I'll turn it off for you."

"Uh –" Erza blinked rapidly. "It's in the hall just past the kitchen."

"Got it."

She watched him disappear into her house and wondered where he thought she might wander off to. Erza's eyes fell to the saucepan of ruined sugar. The bottom was black and she thought she might be better off simply buying a new one. She didn't notice the alarm had stopped until he rejoined her on the porch.

"That's quite a bit of smoke for what you've got there."

"Sugar is tricky." Erza turned to him and tucked the strands of her falling bun behind her ear. "Sorry for the trouble. I was on the phone with my business partner and forgot about the stove. I _do_ actually know better."

"It's no trouble at all." He said, sliding his hands into his pockets. "I do this for a living. Uh –" He ran a hand through his hair and chuckled awkwardly. "Not the approaching women in their front yard and dashing into their house part."

"I got that," she said, smiling. "You're a firefighter." His eyebrows flew up and Erza's blush deepened. She didn't want to admit to any conversations about him. Her eyes bounced around the porch and finally landed on the logo of his t-shirt. She pointed at it with a grin she hoped passed as anything other than sheepish. "Your shirt. Firehouse Fifteen, right? It's just up the road."

"Actually –" His mouth crept into a grin. "This shirt came from my old station."

"Oh." The word came out in an embarrassed breath. She bit her lip and glanced down at the burned pot between them. "So, okay. My best friend's brother is a cop. He was at that retirement party you went to. She knows you're my neighbor and I promise I wasn't stalking you, because I know what that's like and I don't want you to feel naked."

 _"Naked?"_

Erza groaned. She had a tendency to babble when nervous or embarrassed – or both. "Your cat saw me naked," she blurted.

"I... don't have a cat." His grin widened and Erza huffed. She _knew_ it wasn't his cat.

"I mean the stray. He's very rude."

"I see." Just on the edge of her view of the blackened saucepan she saw his hands disappear into his pockets. "I'm Jellal, by the way," he said with humor. "But I think you knew that already."

"I did," she whispered. When she looked back up at him, she saw his smile was still in tact. His relaxed stance eased her tension. "I'm Erza, and despite this situation I'm actually very good in the kitchen."

"I know." He ducked his head in pseudo-shame. "Your shop made my sister's wedding cake last year."

"Oh!" This time the word came out with surprise.

"The cake was great, but it was your hair that I remembered."

Erza flushed for the third time but couldn't help smiling. "Well, it _is_ pretty red."

"Red isn't really a good enough word," he murmured.

"Maybe scarlet?" she teased. "That's my last name."

"Lucky coincidence." With what seemed like impulse, he reached out to touch one of the falling strands brushing her shoulder.

"I was just about to start dinner," Erza said softly. "You can join me if you want. I promise I won't burn it."

"I'd love to." His full smile made her knees weak. Erza turned and nodded toward her front door. He followed her into the house but glanced back just before stepping through the door. The black cat was perched on the far corner of the brick rail watching them both with slitted eyes.

"I told you he was stalking me," she said, pursing her lips.

 _"She."_

"Excuse me?"

"The cat. It's a female." Erza turned to him in surprise.

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure." He placed his hand on the small of her back as they entered the house.

"How do you know that?"

"Well," Jellal coughed awkwardly and busied himself with opening her backdoor and kitchen windows to air out the smell of smoke. "She doesn't have any balls."

"She seems to enjoy spying on my shower time. I'd say that takes balls." Erza snorted and decided to keep the _pussy whisperer_ comments to herself.


	61. In the Margin

_**"Anonymous asked: You're an Art student and I'm an English major and you keep stealing the papers for my assignment to doodle and I would kill you but you're really cute and hey that's actually a really nice sketch."**_

 _ **This turned out to be more dialog heavy than I intended but I'm pleased with the result.**_

* * *

 **In the Margin**

* * *

Her bag was a mess. Papers were wrinkled, folded, and mashed together in an order not even Erza understood. She huffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder in frustration.

"You know," an irritatingly casual voice said from across the table. "If you'd just keep digital notes, this wouldn't happen. Has anyone ever told you that before?"

Erza pursed her lips and studiously ignored the smug smirk she just _knew_ was directed at her. "Probably."

"Well, they sound like a smart person. You should listen to them more."

 _"Kagura."_ The warning in Erza's tone was ignored – it was _always_ ignored. "I hate digital notes. I hate lugging my laptop around."

"And your shameful example of a Hermoine Granger bag is so much better?"

"I didn't know you were a Harry Potter fan," Erza muttered, turning her eyes back to the mess in front of her.

"I'm not. It's overrated drivel and would've been handled in three books instead of seven if Hermoine had been the main character. Even fictional men are useless."

Erza growled and pulled a crumpled roll of handwritten notes from her bag. "I was looking for these last week."

"You're hopeless, Erza. _Please_ let me help you set up a system of files on your laptop. It's painful watching you struggle study this way."

"I'm not –" Erza dumped the remaining contents of her bag onto the table top and flopped into a shoddily padded library chair. _"Struggle studying."_

"If you say so." Kagura poked at the mess of papers with the tip of her pen and sighed. "Let me know when you decide you need help. I need to get out of here."

"Hot date?" Erza asked, still sifting though her papers and notebooks.

"Actually yes. Well –" Kagura grinned and stood. "I'm _always_ a hot date. We'll see how it goes for _her."_

"I live vicariously through your social life. Text me later."

"Erza, I don't understand why you don't get out more. Half the male population of this university has a stiff sock under their bed with your name on it."

"That's disgusting. I don't want a guy who has a stiff sock under his bed."

"I'm joking." Kagura reached out to touch an errant strand of Erza's hair. "I just worry about you being alone with a bag full of messy papers. Promise me you'll notice things beyond books every once and a while."

Erza smiled up at her friend. "I promise. Now go home and blow out your hair for your date. Nothing less than a high gloss will do. And don't forget to text me."

"I won't." Kagura tugged on Erza's hair once before leaving her alone in the library. Erza sighed and turned back to her papers – they really were a mess and maybe Kagura was right about her laptop.

* * *

The decision to take over an outside table had been an impulsive one. With only a low breeze the weather would be perfect for a morning of transferring looseleaf notes. Traffic in the library and courtyard was oddly vibrant and Erza found her gaze easily distracted. She didn't notice the other occupant of the table until he spoke.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have great hair?"

Erza's eyes snapped to the bench beside her. "I'm sorry?"

"Your hair. It's an unbelievable shade." He smiled and Erza tried her hardest to be offended but she'd always been a sucker for dimples. "I could spend the rest of my life trying to get the blending right but it would be a waste."

"I bet you say that to all the girls," she said with a smirk.

"What other girls?" he continued to smile and leaned his chin on the palm of his hand. "You're in my classical lit class, right?"

"Am I?" Erza said in an uncharacteristically flirtatious tone. "If my hair is so memorable, shouldn't you know?"

He laughed softly but didn't falter. "Touché. You normally sit in the third row on the end."

"I've never seen _you_ in that class before."

"I slip in at the last minute and leave before you."

"Why?"

"The classics aren't my thing." With what seemed like practiced ease, and with only cursory awareness, he swiped the pencil from behind his ear and began to doodle on the edge of her stack of notes. Erza couldn't quite bring herself to be annoyed. His movements were fluid and almost effortless.

"Not much of a reader?"

"Oh, sure." He glanced up at her and the corner of his mouth twitched adorably. "I, uh, I actually took that class in high school. AP stuff."

Erza's eyebrow quirked. "Then what are you doing in there now?"

"Well, as it turns out, you don't actually get the credit for a college course unless you show up – no matter how good your grade is."

"So you wasted your time _and_ money?"

"Pretty much. That class was just part of a deal I made with my dad. I'd take college courses early and he'd let me major in whatever I wanted. I wouldn't say it was a total waste, though."

"Wait so your dad gets to make rules like that?"

He shrugged and adjusted the angle of her paper. "He who has the gold makes the rules. I'm here on my family's dime so I have to jump through his hoops."

"So why wasn't it a waste of your time if you failed and have to take it again?"

"Because –" His eyes flit to hers quickly before falling back to the paper. "If I hadn't've failed _that_ class, I never would've ended up in _yours."_

Erza snorted. "You're an ambitious flirt. I don't even know your name."

"It's Jellal."

"Jellal what?"

"Fernandes," he muttered, focusing on the paper now.

"Wait –" Erza leaned closer to him. "Fernandes? As in _Fernandes?"_ He pursed his lips and slid the pencil back behind his ear. "Like the-new-research-wing-of-this-library Fernandes?"

"That's my dad. I'm sure you think I'm a sad little rich boy now."

Erza smirked and leaned back. "Nah. My mom's name gets me into a lot of doors, too. She doesn't tell me what I need to be studying, though."

"You lucked out then." He leaned his chin on his hand again and smiled in the sappy way she was becoming used to. "Are you going to tell me _your_ name now?"

"Erza Scarlet." She bit her lip and grinned. "And before you try and figure out who my mom is, don't bother. We don't have the same last name."

"I would never. That's third date material." He grabbed his pencil again and flipped through her papers to find a clean margin.

"Third date? You're assuming a lot."

"Am I?" Jellal glanced up at her again before he began to doodle.

"These are my notes, you know. I actually need them."

"So... you weren't transferring them to your laptop just now? I don't like digital notes either. I can't draw on my laptop."

"Are you an artist or something?" she asked with mild irritation exasperation.

"Or something."

"You're annoyingly cryptic."

"I've taken some art classes but it's not what I want to do."

"If your goal is to be a renaissance man, I think you should add some culinary classes and maybe some fencing to your schedule."

"I'm no good at fencing."

"Well, if you decide to take on cooking, I hope all your soufflés fall for ruining my notes."

He opened his mouth to reply but his phone interrupted. Jellal fished the phone from his pocket and frowned at whatever message he'd received.

"I gotta go, but we should get to work on that third date soon."

"Excuse me?" Erza blurted, her cheeks flushing pink.

"Call me," he said with a grin as he stood. Before he walked off he flipped her papers back around to face her and smiled.

Erza watched him disappear into the flow of students before glancing back down at her notes. He'd drawn a series of pointless doodles but the depiction of her profile and curls of her hair were embarrassingly detailed and skilled – _and pretty._

Scrawled in the top corner of the bottom page was his phone number.


	62. Designated Driver

_**"Bsxual asked: Are requests really closed because i saw the post opening it just hours ago? Anyway IF it is open imagine erza at a bachelorette party (mirajane's? Or maybe her own?) and the party is really noisy so the neighbors sends them in for a noise complaint. And cop jellal tries to break up the party and erza thinks he's a stripper cop and *2007 voice* hijinks ensue"**_

 _ **It's possible I'm only capable of producing angsty fluff.**_

* * *

 **Designated Driver**

* * *

Erza knocked back a shot of vodka and tried to focus on the room. Mirajane wasn't a partier... but her friends _were._ The concierge had already visited this particular suite twice, begging for lower volume but Cana slipped a roll of bills into his hand on the second trip and he hadn't returned since.

Empty bottles of Ciroc lined the kitchenette counter, flanked by mostly full containers of various chasers. As far as Erza could tell only Mirajane, Lisanna, and Lucy were bothering with the juice. Erza pulled a fresh bottle from a brown shopping bag and struggled with the cap. She would _not_ think about work or her mostly-still-in-boxes-apartment or that one email she hadn't opened yet.

"You're going for total liver destruction all on one night, huh?" Mirajane's hand closed around Erza's and she pried the bottle away.

Erza flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Why aren't _you?_ This is _your_ party."

"I don't know," Mirajane said with a grin. She grabbed a cup from the cabinet and mixed Erza a proper drink. "Maybe it's because I don't see the point."

"Bachelorette parties are supposed to be like this, though, right?" Erza felt warm and fuzzy inside. Vodka was her favorite. "You should be drunker than me!"

"Why?" The ice clinked against the glass as Mirajane measured out the vodka and a brightly colored juice. She handed over the cocktail and Erza smiled.

"I bet Laxus –"

"Is off duty and on his way home?" Mira winked. "If he is, I'm jealous."

Erza sampled the drink. "Are you happy?" she asked with unintended wistfulness.

"I am. Are you?"

"This is great, what's in it?" Erza swirled her glass and her eyes got caught on the ice.

Mirajane let her have the deflection. "Papaya juice."

"I can't really taste the vodka anymore."

"Good! I've done my job, then." A loud knock came from the door and Mirajane bit her lip. Cana stood from one of the couches and wobbled.

"I told him –" She stumbled into an arm chair and fell into a fit of laughter.

"Erza," Mirajane said, plucking the cocktail from her hands. "Why don't you handle the door. I'll handle Cana." Erza watched her cup disappear with sadness – it _had_ been a very good drink.

Erza carefully crossed the room and blinked in confusion when she pulled the door open. The expanse of deep blue fabric across broad shoulders seemed strange and... headless? Her eyes traveled up and he _did_ have a perfectly serviceable head. Of course he did. Around his waist was a utility belt and Erza made a mental leap. She smirked and leaned against the door frame.

"Did Cana send for you?" she asked. "Because if so, I may as well tell you, the bride to be won't be happy. She doesn't care for stripp–" The man spun around and Erza suddenly felt stone sober. Her words tangled on her tongue and she almost couldn't breathe.

"Hey, Erza." His voice hadn't changed at all since she'd spoken to him last. Her stomach twisted and Erza was torn between wanting to slam the door shut and throwing herself at him. She did neither.

 _"Jellal!_ What a, uh, surprise." She tried to readjust her lean against the door frame but only wound up stumbling. Jellal caught her arm in a firm grasp and peered down into her eyes. Erza lost herself and finally smiled. "You're still so pretty," she murmured.

"Uh, right. Thanks." His hands were warm and Erza wanted to see if the rest of him was warm, too. Instead she found herself back leaning against the cool metal of the door frame.

"Are we too loud?" she asked, in the same tone all drunk people think sounds perfectly sober but really isn't at all.

"Hey, Jellal," Mirajane said from Erza's side. "Thanks for coming. I think Erza needs a ride home, she's had a lot of vodka."

"You –" Erza spluttered. She whirled around to face her friend but lost her balance. "Did you..."

"Report my own party?" Mira asked with a sly grin. "I may have. Between you and Cana this isn't even a party, it's a slosh. But –" She glanced behind her and Erza could see Cana draped over the arm of her chair, passed out. "I think things will calm down now. Laxus is on his way, too."

"But – but he's not supposed to –" Erza's mind turned over on itself trying to understand what Mira had done.

"I never knew you were so traditional, Erza." Mirajane handed over Erza's jacket and bag. "Take her home, Jellal. She's going to regret all that vodka in the morning."

"I –" Erza didn't quite catch what had happened until Jellal was propping her up and the hotel room door had closed – with her on the outside. Her eyes found his again and he smiled.

"Are you okay to walk?"

"Yeah." Erza's final cocktail of the night began to settle and despite her assurance that she could walk on her own, she took Jellal's offered arm. The hallway swam around her with every step but her mind still tried to stay in control. "What're you doing here?"

"Mira called me."

"Why?"

"Because Laxus is my partner and unlike anyone else, I would never arrest anyone at his fiancé's bachelorette party."

"Partner?"

Jellal laughed softly and caught her against his side when she nearly tripped stepping into the elevator. "Yep. Not that I'd be arresting anyone anyway. My shift is over."

"Mira is sneaky," Erza muttered leaning on him. He smelled like deodorant and the leather seats of his squad car. Her fingers found his chest and she realized for the first time that the front of his uniform was unbuttoned. The warning voice in her head was almost completely silenced by the vodka and – despite knowing better – she slid her arms around his middle. "I missed you."

"Really?" he asked with what Erza believed to be sarcasm.

"Yes, _really."_

"That's funny because I emailed you days ago and have yet to get a reply."

"You left first, Jellal." Her tone of voice and actions completely contradicted her harsh words. Erza's arms refused to release his body even when the elevator doors slid open.

"I _had_ to," he said exasperatedly, trying to pry himself free so they could walk. "Here, if you let go of my middle, you can hold onto my arm okay? The car isn't far."

"You smell nice."

"I smell like a twelve hour shift. How much did you have to drink again?"

Erza giggled and hung off his arm like she belonged there. "Seven."

"Seven what? Shots?"

"I don't know," she said in a sing-song voice. "You smell great."

"You said that already." Jellal stepped through the sliding glass doors and led Erza to the passenger side of the car. "If I let you sit up front, are you going to cause problems? I'd rather not cart you around in the back of a police car."

Erza half slid, half collapsed into the passenger seat and Jellal sighed. This _wasn't_ how he'd wanted to see her again. Her head lolled to the side and he had to lean across her to click the seat belt into place. Jellal left her bag and jacket in her lap and as he made his way back around the car, he scolded himself for letting her paw him in the elevator but damn it he'd _liked_ it.

Her hair spilled over the edge of her seat and onto the console between them. Even in a drunken sleep she was just as beautiful as she'd been almost two years before. Jellal started the car and realized he had no clue where Erza lived now. In a halfhearted attempt to rouse her, he shook her shoulder but she only slumped further into the passenger seat.

"Good grief," he muttered, reaching for her bag. He dug through the expected mess of credit card receipts and lip balm – of course her phone was at the very bottom and _of course_ she didn't have it password protected. "Erza, you really need to have better security." Jellal glanced over at her and his chest hurt. She hadn't changed at all.

Her apartment wasn't far from his house and he thought he attracted too much attention cruising through the complex looking for her building. Stray police cars made people nervous. Erza's little blue convertible was parked in an unnumbered space so he took the spot beside it.

Jellal shouldered her bag and tried to pull her as gentlemanly as possible from the passenger seat. She was dead weight until he got her up and into a bridal carry. Erza's face turned into his neck and she sighed. One of her hands closed around the open flap of his uniform top. He tried to ignore it.

It wasn't until he stood at her locked front door that he wished he'd thought to prepare her keys before occupying both his arms.

"Erza, hey," he nudged her forehead with his chin. "Erza."

"Hm." Her response wasn't more than a sleepy grunt. Jellal's eyes rolled heavenward and he sighed loudly. Carefully placing her feet on the ground, he propped her body against his. Immediately, Erza's arms went around his waist again. Taking advantage of her hold on him, he dug into her bag. The set of keys jangled as he pulled them out. There were four on the ring plus her car key and he groaned in frustration.

Jellal jumped when her lips pressed against his neck.

"I always liked that sound from you, Jellal," she breathed.

"Okay, Erza, you're gonna have to stop that. I can't –" Her hands were sliding up his chest. "I can't concentrate, okay? Erza." Jellal shoved the first key on the ring into the lock and his heart skipped a beat when it turned easily. _"Thank god,"_ he mumbled, hauling Erza up again.

He kicked the door shut behind him and faced her apartment. Stacks of boxes littered the room and Jellal was grateful a more sober version of Erza had left a bathroom light on before going out for the night. Her bedroom, unlike the living room, was in mostly good order.

"Mm, where're we?" she grumbled when he finally let her down on the bed.

"Home," he said softly, pulling her shoes off. Jellal tugged back the blankets and did his best to cover her.

Against his better judgement, he eased down on the edge of her bed and his eye snagged on a framed photograph sitting on the night table. At the time, he hadn't yet earned the second bar marking him as a Captain, and he still smiled like a young soldier completely unaware of everything the military was capable of taking from him. Erza held his promotion certificate in the hand that wasn't wrapped around his arm. The picture was at least five years old but it was the faint sparkle on her finger that stung the most.

"I should've waited." The words were barely audible but he heard them all the same. Jellal replaced the photograph and brushed Erza's hair from her eyes.

"For what?" he whispered.

"For you," she breathed. "I still have the ring." Her hand slid across the sheets to find the tail of his shirt again.

"Erza –" Jellal pried his shirt from her fingers and took her hand in his. His tongue felt heavy with ten thousand unspoken words – words he needed to save for when she wasn't half unconscious.

"Come to bed, Jellal," she muttered, tugging on his hand.

"Ah, Erza –" He inched away from her. "This isn't my bed and you don't know what you're saying. I need to get home." Her eyes slid open briefly before closing again.

"I don't want –" Erza heaved a sigh and her grip on his fingers went slack. "To email." Her breathing evened out and Jellal sucked in a frustrated breath. He'd never been able to _truly_ walk away from her.

* * *

She laughed when his mouth dipped into a frown. He shifted on the couch cushions and Erza poked his shoulder again. Jellal's eyes cracked open and he sat up quickly. She took the open seat next to him and handed over a bottle of water.

"Good morning, Officer Fernandes," she said in a joking tone. "I can't believe you slept on this awful couch."

"Me neither," he muttered, gulping down half of the water.

"I was pretty drunk last night."

 _"Wasted_ would be a better term for what you were, Erza." Jellal glanced over at her and saw her hair was damp and she'd changed out of her dress. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Oh yes," she said smiling sheepishly. "I owe you an apology, Jellal. I had a _lot_ of vodka and I don't think my hands behaved themselves. I promise I'll have a word with Mirajane about calling you, too."

"You don't have to apologize." He fell back against the sofa cushions. "And don't be angry with Mira. She just wanted a night with Laxus in an expensive hotel she didn't have to pay for. I'm sure the rest of her crowd will be dead to the world until at least noon."

"I shouldn't have touched all over you, though. _That_ much I'm sorry for." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and trained her eyes on her hands. "I'm – I'm also sorry for ignoring your email. It was rude of me." Erza glanced up and gave him a half-smile. "I just didn't want to have that kind of detached conversation. I wanted to _see_ you."

"You were right about the Reserves," he said softly. "It wasn't better and it was a poor safety net."

"I should've waited, Jellal." Erza blinked away the tears that clouded her vision. "I was just so _angry_ with you." She sighed irritably and went on, "After _everything_ you _still_ went back in and they did _exactly –"_ Erza caught herself and grimaced. "I'm sorry. It doesn't matter now."

"You can say whatever you need to. None of it is wrong. If I'd listened, maybe things would be different now." He took her hand and ran his thumb over the empty spot on her ring finger.

"The past is the past, Jellal. We both fucked up and all there is now, is what's ahead." She met his eyes and he tugged on her hand. Erza relaxed into the couch and his arm fit perfectly around her shoulders. He turned towards her and touched his forehead to hers.

"What's ahead?" Jellal asked, his eyes falling to her lips. Now that she wasn't drunk he only wanted to be near her.

"We can start with breakfast," she whispered. "Then maybe you can fill me in on your deployment and how you ended up as a cop and Laxus's partner."

"Perfect." He could _not_ stop thinking about kissing her. "Then you can tell me all about teaching at a snobby private school in Crocus."

"Sounds good," Erza said, tilting her head to the side. "Maybe you should kiss me before breakfast, though. It's been long enough."

Jellal thought maybe he agreed with her out loud but lost his train of thought the second her lips touched his.


	63. Hung Jury

_**"Anonymous asked: person A and B of your Otp have a messy breakup and person A decides to move to another city. Years later Person A hears the new of a new colleague which turns out to be person B" for Jerza please?"**_

 _ **I suppose it's not as shocking as it should be how easily this came out. I love a good breakup AU.**_

* * *

 **Hung Jury**

* * *

"I know what you're thinking," the boy said with an arrogant grin. Jellal cocked an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair. The heat of the room was starting to bother him. Ridiculous that the department hadn't fixed the air conditioning yet.

"And what's that?"

"If you keep me in this dank ass room long enough I'll give you a name."

"First of all, _punk –"_ Laxus pushed off the wall and poked his finger toward Erik irritably. Jellal bit back a sigh and stood. He grasped his partner's sleeve and tugged him toward the door. Erik's grin didn't fade even as Jellal shut the door closed behind them. "Can you believe that kid?" Laxus muttered, smoothing his shirt before rolling up his sleeves.

"Yeah, I can. It's _you_ I can't believe. Are you really going to snap on a seventeen year old? His ego doesn't need the boost, Dreyar, get your shit together."

"It's a fucking sauna in there and if I have to look at his dumbass grin –"

"Go get a snickers. I'll handle the rest." Laxus's scowl deepened but he didn't argue. He yanked his sleeve up and over a final fold and stalked away. Jellal followed suit with his own sleeves and stepped back into the interrogation room.

"Your partner can't handle the heat?" Erik asked, grin still in place. Jellal's mouth curled into his own grin and the boy's smile flinched for the first time. He pulled a file from the stack and flipped it open. Erik shifted in his seat when Jellal slid a pair of security footage photos toward him.

"Do any of these look familiar?"

"No," Erik mumbled.

"No?" Jellal leaned forward. "Are you sure? Not even a little?"

"Look, man –"

"What about this one?" Jellal slid a third photo across the table. The image was not of the best quality but the facial scar and hair were unmistakable. Erik slumped in his chair. "Ringing a bell now?"

"You can't prove that's me," Erik said, grasping at previous bravado.

"You know I can. I'd rather not, though. We know who did the breaking and taking, that much is on camera."

"Then what do you want from me?"

"This." Jellal collected the three photos and provided a fourth. "Who is he?" He watched Erik glance at the picture and then divert his eyes to pick at a scab on his arm.

"I don't know."

"You're sure about that?"

"I never seen him before."

Jellal sighed and scrubbed his hands over his face. "What's going to happen to your sister if you get sent away again, Erik? You're old enough to be her guardian now and that's a big job you can't do from jail."

"I can handle it."

"Yeah? Then why are you running around with drug dealers? That's a far cry from what went down last night. That's serious jail time."

"I – I haven't done any of that."

"Not yet, no. These people, Erik, they don't care about you and they're not the type to let you just dip a toe in." Erik said nothing and Jellal pursed his lips. He pulled out the last photo in the file and slid it across the table. "What about her?"

Erik stopped fidgeting and glanced at the photos again. He flicked the photo of the unknown man away from him as if it would burn him, and tapped his finger on the edge of the woman's. "I can help you with _her."_

* * *

He found Laxus standing in front of an oscillating desk fan sipping a can of soda. Jellal snorted and tossed the files on his desk.

"Comfortable?"

"Damn right I am," Laxus muttered. "Did you get a name off the kid?"

"Not the one I was hoping for."

"You weren't gonna get anything important out of him. He's a grunt. Did you book him?"

"No, it's not worth it. His sister's only eight and I can't fucking stand the idea of calling social services."

"He'll just do it again."

"He's our only lead on the _Six Prayers_ right now and I know I can get him to give me a bigger name. I'm not locking him up just to prove a point. It's stupid and the little girl will be the one who suffers."

Laxus barked out a laugh and flopped into his desk chair. "You're a softie."

"Maybe."

Ultear Milkovich's presence was announced by the click of her heels on linoleum and the cloud of perfume that always followed her around. She rapped her knuckles on the edge of Jellal's desk and smirked.

"Detectives," her smile dripped with something that made Jellal's skin crawl. "Do you know where I just came from?"

"Man Eaters Not So Anonymous?" Laxus asked nonchalantly, sipping from his soda can. She didn't flinch in the slightest – which only served to make Jellal feel even more uneasy.

"The courthouse," she said, not skipping a beat.

"How shocking." Laxus muttered. Despite his partner's flippancy with the District Attorney, her eyes zeroed in on Jellal.

"I have a new ADA," she said coyly. "I personally find her to be over qualified for this position and too much of a bleeding heart – kind of like someone _else_ I know – but she'll do. We need some fresh blood around here."

"What's that got to do with us?" Laxus asked, crushing his soda can. Ultear's eyes never left Jellal's.

"Just thought you should know," she said in an overly sweet voice. She sashayed away on her typical pair of ridiculously high heels.

"I can't stand that woman," Laxus said under his breath. "I know, I know, we're all on the same side but still. There's something about her that rubs me the wrong way."

Jellal stared after Ultear and jumped when Laxus threw his empty soda can at him.

 _"Hey, Fernandes!"_

"Hm?"

"You got a thing for her or something? I'd watch out, she's the type to suck your soul out right through your dick."

Jellal curled his lip. "No."

"Let's bail on this heat trap and get some lunch. I'm starving."

"Yeah, okay." Jellal grabbed his jacket and followed Laxus from the building. The sun wasn't much better than the broken AC in the station but the diner Laxus made a bee-line for would be cool enough on the inside. There was much better food nearby but Jellal knew they weren't going to _Mira's_ for the burgers.

* * *

The courthouse wasn't his favorite place to be. High ceilings and the pomp of Lady Justice made him feel claustrophobic. Jellal hooked a finger into the collar of his shirt and tugged. Even now, as an adult and on the proper end of the law, Jellal couldn't shake the first impressions this building had left on him when he'd been nothing but a scrappy kid like Erik.

"Detective Fernandes?" The title was formal but the voice was so familiar it sliced him right in two. Jellal whirled around. He saw her hair first _– always the hair –_ it was like a sickness with him. She had it twisted up and off her shoulders but he felt trapped by it all the same.

 _"Erza?"_ he breathed. Her name, her hair, her voice. All the broken pieces of himself came tumbling from the closet he'd stuffed them into all those years ago when she'd been a clerk and he'd still been in a uniform riding around the city writing traffic tickets. The closet door had never been hung right in the first place and the hinges were bound to fail at the first sign of pressure.

"Ms. Scarlet is probably better," she muttered, and shifted the bag on her shoulder. Erza's heels weren't nearly as high as Ultear's but even if they had been she'd still be several inches shorter than him. He stepped back so as not to tower over her.

"Right. My apologies, Ms. Scarlet." Jellal's heart pounded violently against his chest and it hurt – it hurt _so good._

"Uh, I just needed to –"

"There you are Ms. Scarlet." Ultear's voice rattled the marbles in Jellal's head and he frowned. Erza's eyes hadn't left his but he had to tear his own away. He _had_ to. "I see you've found him. Detective, Ms. Scarlet will be handling the _Six Prayers_ case. I assume your witness is ready?"

"My _witness_ still hasn't been properly protected," Jellal snapped, focusing entirely on Ultear.

"The state agreed to –"

"He's _seventeen_ with an _eight year old sibling_ he has sole custody of. _The state_ can do better." Jellal enjoyed the frustrated way Ultear's eyebrows drew together.

"He's a minor component to a street gang. This isn't a federal case, _Detective"_

"Then I guess you don't have a witness." Jellal spun on his heel and counted his steps away from her. He made it to five before Ultear stopped him. It took every ounce of maturity not to smirk.

 _"Fine!_ We'll work something out. I'll send Ms. Scarlet over tomorrow with an offer."

Jellal turned back around and slid his hands into his pockets with an arrogance he knew Ultear hated. "How _generous_ of you. We'll look it over."

"Since when are cops on the side of criminals?"

"Somebody has to look out for who falls underfoot when cases get moving. My witness isn't the one on trial." Jellal couldn't bring himself to look at Erza again. He moved quickly down the hallway and out of the building. Once through the doors, he sucked in a deep, shaking breath.

* * *

"So the new ADA is your ex?" Laxus asked around a mouthful of pancakes.

"Yep."

"And Milkovich knew that the other day when she came through the station?"

"Yep."

"Sounds messy," Laxus grunted.

"Divorce usually is," Jellal mumbled, finishing off his coffee. He didn't have to look up to know Laxus was pulling his signature eyebrow twitch.

 _"Divorce?"_ he hissed. "I didn't know you were married! Why didn't I know that about you? We're fucking partners, man."

"Sorry, I guess it didn't come up what with all the small talk we have time to do." Jellal finally glanced at his partner. Laxus was clearly offended. "It doesn't matter. Everybody does stupid shit in college. We were too young to know what we were doing and it ended in a great big mess. I don't know why she's back here, but it doesn't matter."

"You aren't going to ask?"

"It's none of my business." Jellal eyed Laxus's incredulous expression. "You've been hanging out with Mirajane too long. You're turning into a gossip."

"Any other skeletons you've got in your closet, Fernandes?" Laxus asked, returning to his familiar gruff tone. "Is this gonna change the case?"

"Nope." Jellal crumpled his napkin and left it on his plate.

* * *

"Full immunity and a safehouse?" Jellal muttered as he looked over the official papers Ultear had sent.

"You aren't even an attorney, much less his," Erza said with annoyance. "It's not really up to you."

"My witness is seventeen. He may be considered an adult in the eyes of the law but he's still vulnerable." He glanced up at her and couldn't stop himself from grinning. "This all came from Ultear? She signed off on it so quickly after huffing and puffing in the courthouse yesterday?" Erza looked away and Jellal openly enjoyed the fact that she still blushed easily.

"It's _my_ case, Detective. She trusts me to handle it appropriately."

"I see. Well I appreciate your consideration, Ms. Scarlet. I'll be in touch."

"We're going to court in a week."

"Yes, it says that right here," he said, still grinning. Jellal didn't know where his obnoxious confidence was coming from but he didn't hate it. Making Erza huff in indignation still pleased him.

"I was just making sure you understood that. When you say you'll be in touch, I need to know when that'll be."

"Still a stickler for schedules, huh?" Jellal's internal voice of reason was _screaming_ at him to stop messing with her.

"This is serious, Jellal." She didn't realize she'd called him by his first name until it fell from her lips. Her face turned red and his grin widened. "I didn't – I mean –" Jellal enjoyed her floundering but decided – in his first reasonable act since she'd approached his desk – to have mercy.

"It's fine, Ms. Scarlet. It happens. I'll be in touch before the weekend. How's that?"

"Thank you," she said in an embarrassed breath. Erza's hair swished around her shoulders when she spun around to vacate the station, leaving a puff of lavender scented air behind her.

"What the fuck was _that?"_ Laxus asked – he'd almost forgotten his partner was even there. Jellal fell into his own chair and sighed. Now that the high had worn off, he wished he'd kept things shorter. More professional.

"What was what?"

"You were ruthless with her."

"You haven't seen ruthless," Jellal murmured.

"She's giving the kid a really good deal to roll on his buddies. Why'd you bat her around like that? Overkill, man."

"Leave it alone." He stood and grabbed his jacket. "I'm getting out of here. It's late and I'm starving. You staying or do you want to grab dinner?"

"Nah, I need to finish up these reports."

Jellal left Laxus squinting at his laptop screen and stalked through the station. In truth, he didn't know why he'd behaved that way with Erza. Their relationship had been a lesson in pendulum swings. The highs were _amazing_ and being with her had made him happier than he'd ever been in his life but the lows – Jellal didn't care to revisit the lows. Too many hours working and not enough hours talking. They'd walked away mad with words still in the queue – which he now realized was _not_ the way to end _anything._

* * *

"Stop itching your wrists," Jellal hissed. "It makes you look like a junkie."

"I can't help it!" Erik shot back, tugging on the cuffs of his sleeves. "This thing itches and I don't even want to be wearing it."

"It makes you look less like an urchin."

"Well, I _am_ an urchin. So the fuck what?"

"Don't fucking swear in the courthouse!"

Erik smirked. "You just did, _Detective._ Such a good role model." Jellal rolled his eyes and sighed. As much as he hated the courthouse, he needed to make sure Erik didn't bail at the last minute. "Where's my sister?"

"Don't worry about it," Jellal muttered. "She's with one of the clerks."

"All you tell me to do is worry about her and when I _do_ you tell me not to?"

"You need to focus on your testimony. Your sister will be fine." Erik slumped over on the bench and Jellal joined him. "I hate it here too. It'll be over soon enough."

"You're a cop," Erik muttered. "Isn't this like your second home?"

"Not anymore. Hopefully you won't be back here too often after today."

"Trust me, all this bullshit is enough for me not to mess with the _Prayers_ ever again. I'm taking my sister to my grandma's and we're gonna do things right."

"Good." Jellal leaned back against the wall. "If you manage that you'll be doing better than me at your age."

Jellal wasn't allowed in the courtroom during Erik's testimony. He waited anxiously on the bench outside and counted every fleck in the berber carpet between his feet. When he reached eight-hundred and fifty-seven, the door swung open and Erza escorted Erik back into the hallway. Jellal stood and his eyes flit between them.

"Well?"

"I think we have a solid case. The jury is out and all we can do is wait."

"Can I see my sister now?" Erik asked under his breath. He wouldn't look at Jellal or Erza.

"Of course," Erza said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. The motion caught Jellal's eye and he looked away quickly. "I'll get her and the two of you are free to go." She disappeared around the corner and Erik exhaled heavily. He fell back onto the bench and gazed up at the ceiling.

"What's the matter?" Jellal asked.

"That lawyer lady."

"What about her?"

"She's hot. I can't even look at her." Erik shook his head. "Every time she asked me a question I felt like I was gonna die." Jellal snorted and then caught himself.

"She's an Assistant District Attorney. It doesn't matter what she looks like."

"You weren't the one under fire, man. It was like being murdered in the best way possible."

"Yeah well –" Jellal bit his tongue and glanced back down the hallway. Erza rounded the corner and knelt in front of the little girl. He couldn't hear the conversation but the girl smiled and took a packet of cookies from Erza.

Erik stood at their approach and took his sister's hand. "Hey, squirt. Ready to get out of her?" She nodded and waved to Erza one last time. "Hope I don't see you again, Fernandes," Erik said before leading his sister away.

When Jellal turned around, Erza had gone.

* * *

"Vodka cranberry, please. Two limes." The voice beside him was soft and Jellal knocked back the rest of his bourbon.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the empty glass.

"Well, I thought I deserved a drink for winning my first case as an ADA." Jellal's eyes slid over to where the bartender placed Erza's drink on a fresh napkin. "I didn't expect to see you, though."

"No?" He finally turned to her. "Your boss didn't mention this is a popular spot for courthouse stragglers?"

"She didn't." Erza sipped her drink and smiled. God he still loved her smile. It was a beautiful disaster waiting to happen. "But since you put it that way, I should be asking what _you're_ doing here. The courthouse hasn't ever been your haunt. Unless things have changed now that you're a detective."

"They haven't," he muttered pushing his glass toward the opposite side of the bar and signaling the bartender. In not so many words she'd stripped him down. He'd come here on purpose like a fucking addict.

"I see."

"Why are you in Crocus, Erza?" He watched her stir the ice and lime wedges. She'd always left the rinds in her glass instead of leaving them on the napkin.

"Because I needed a change. Magnolia is boring."

"So your big change was to come back here?"

"Should I lie, Jellal? Should I say I meant to never run into you? I think you'd know that's bullshit."

"You took a job you knew would be incredibly stressful just because we might run into each other?" Jellal snorted and watched her finish off her cocktail. The ice left her lips sparkling in the low light of the bar.

"Not exactly."

"I always forget talking in circles is part of your job." Jellal dug out his wallet and left enough cash on the bar for his tab and tip. Trying to get Erza to say what he needed would be harder than prying confessions from smartass kids like Erik. He turned to leave but her hand shot out to grasp his wrist and he froze.

"Wait," she whispered. "Don't leave."

"We've played this game already, Erza," he said turning his head only halfway back toward her. "We know how it ends."

"If you're so sure, why did you come here tonight?" Her question stung like the worst – _best –_ kind of salve.

"So what if I'm not sure? What does that mean? Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results?" Her grip on his wrist tightened and he turned the rest of the way around. Her eyes were wide. The vodka cranberry hadn't been her first drink of the evening just like the bourbon hadn't been his.

"Maybe we're insane, then," she whispered. She slid off her stool and stepped close to him. Her fingers brushed over the buttons of his shirt and Jellal couldn't even stop her. Instead, he pulled out his wallet again and added to the pile of cash. If he hurt her again he wanted to at least know he'd bought the drinks.

* * *

Her lips didn't taste like cranberry or vodka. The flavor was the kind of red wine so dry and bitter it would bring anyone who wasn't Erza to tears. She'd always liked the bite.

He wasn't familiar with her apartment but the wall nearest her front door was perfect. Jellal pressed her against it and kissed her with a wild force. Her breath caught in her throat and her nails dug into his shoulder through his shirt. Erza had always been skilled with buttons and his didn't last long – the shirt wound up on the floor quickly. He tugged the zipper of her dress down and didn't remove any of it before his palms were greedily taking in the expanse of her back. She was still as smooth as he remembered.

"Erza –"

"We can talk later, Jellal," she breathed tugging at the button keeping his pants clothed. "Just fuck me." There was a certain lilt to her demand that made him smile wickedly. His pants hit the floor at the same time as her dress. Determined to learn everything he'd missed in the last several years, Jellal's eyes took all of her in. Her bra was black lace and his hand still knew the exact swell of her breasts – even if she no longer wore cheap cotton.

Jellal hooked his finger into the waist of her panties – more black lace – and pulled them down. He didn't bother to find out if she was wet because he didn't need to. The way she closed her eyes and bit at his bottom lip reminded him of so many times before. His hand grasped her thigh and hitched it over his hip. Her back slid against the wall and he thrust inside of her with years worth of frustrated want.

He would _always_ want Erza.

Her thighs gripped him tightly and her tongue entered his mouth with an equal force. Erza's breaths reached a peak and her mouth tore away from his and rolled back to hit the wall. In a show of forethought he didn't leave a mark on her neck but he _could've._ She wouldn't have stopped him.

"There, right there," she bit out, kissing him again with the intent to bruise. Jellal lifted her leg higher and relished every clench, every spasm, every pulse of her climax.

 _"Fuck,"_ he gasped and emptied himself inside of her without a thought to pulling out. He hoped she was still on the pill. Erza's feet hit the floor but she didn't let him go.

"Bed," she whispered, digging her fingernails into his forearm. Her bedroom was dark but the light from the window was good enough. Before she fell into the mattress, he pulled her against his chest. Careful not to damage the expensive bra he unhooked each clasp and tossed it aside.

Jellal filled his hands with her breasts and held her back against his chest. The scent of her lavender shampoo filled his nostrils and her hair brushed over his lips. Strands of scarlet twisted over his fingers when he finally bent her over the bed.

* * *

It crossed his mind to get the fuck out before she woke but he couldn't. For all his greedy roughness the night before, he didn't want to go. The softness of morning soothed every sting she'd left – both on his shoulders and on his heart.

"You didn't leave," she whispered drawing his attention. His instinct was to smile but Jellal pushed it down. He wasn't sure if it would be real and lying to Erza wasn't something he wanted to do even now.

"No, I didn't leave." His eyes never left hers as he reached for a curl of hair stuck to her shoulder. It was one thing to have it tangle in his hands as he fucked her, but this... this was _something else._


	64. IcyHot

_**"Anonymous asked: Figure skater and MMA fighter AU please if it's not too much trouble. Prompt base on the lovely fan art by Dudakka (no smut) thank you."**_

 _ **The art in question can be found on Dudakka's tumblr page if you tag search for Jerza. Jellal is depicted as an ice skater and Erza as an MMA fighter. I can't post links here witch is horrible.**_

 _ ***In the U.S. IcyHot is a brand of analgesic cream.**_

* * *

 **IcyHot**

* * *

Even in the ice bath, his ankle hurt. He hated ice baths and even though it was _only_ his leg from the calf up and _even though_ he was on actual ice for hours at a time... Jellal absolutely hated ice baths. He glared at his wrist that was still encased in a cast. Every part of him felt broken and useless. The entire competition season was ruined and he would be teaching six year olds how to not fall on their face for the foreseeable future. Jellal didn't mind working with the kids, he'd be doing that even without his injuries, he just didn't like being benched.

"Excuse me," a voice beside him said. Jellal swallowed his misery and twisted around. Her hair was stuffed into a messy bun and she clutched a robe to her chest. "I'm sorry to have to ask, but the others are full and you've just got one leg in and they told me it was fine –" she broke off and shifted on her feet. "I only need about ten minutes."

Jellal snapped out of his stupor and nodded. "Uh, yeah, it's fine. Sorry."

"Thanks," she smiled and he smiled because that's what he did every time he saw her around the complex. She left the robe on a bench and stepped into the machine. Her rash guard clung to her body and Jellal averted his eyes. "I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable. My trainer leaves in an hour and without the bath I'll just be sore."

"It's fine," he said, glancing back at her. "I was lost in space there for a minute."

"You kind of have to be to survive these things."

"Do you come here often?" he asked with a grin.

She smirked. "That was a clever line."

"I try."

"How's that wrist doing?" she asked. Jellal raised an eyebrow and her cheeks flushed. "I remember when you broke it. The ambulance made for a very dramatic afternoon."

"Dramatic is a good word for how it went down." He laughed softly and inspected the hated cast again. "It's fine, I guess. A few more weeks before this thing can come off. I'm sick of looking at it."

"I bet. I broke my wrist once when I was in middle school. I spent what felt like forever in PT but –" She lifted her hand from the water and wriggled her fingers. "Good as new."

"That's encouraging. I'll be glad when my body is functional again."

"I imagine the cast ruins your balance."

"It does, which is why I'm in here." Jellal flexed his foot in the water. "The little ones had a laugh, though. Nothing like seeing your teacher fall on his ass."

"They love you, though. My, um –" she faltered and flattened her legs on the bottom of the bath. "I know someone who has a little sister in your class. She says you're the best and will only come when you're here."

"You're talking about Kagura," he said with a laugh. "She's a stubborn little thing but approach is key. She likes to be lead not pushed."

"Yeah," she said quietly. "That she does."

"Her brother is a piece of work, though." Jellal watched her carefully. "He's got a big mouth in the locker rooms."

"Also true." She laughed. "I imagine you've heard quite a bit."

"I've heard enough. He's a dumbass." Jellal smiled again and held out his hand that wasn't covered in a cast. "I'm Jellal, by the way." She took his hand and the awkwardness fell away.

"Erza."

"I have to confess something," he said, his eyes dropping to the cold water lumpy with ice.

"What's that?"

"I've been wanting to talk to you for weeks but I, uh –" he held up his cast. "I got distracted. You're incredibly graceful in the ring."

"Graceful?" she asked with a laugh.

"Trust me, I know about grace under fire. You look great out there." Embarrassment at his seemingly hinged tongue crept up his neck and Jellal cringed. She only smiled and shifted in the water.

"I guess it was lucky I came in for an unscheduled practice today and needed the ice bath then, huh?"

 _"Very_ lucky."

"Maybe now I won't have to use the excuse of just saying hi to my ex-boyfriend's little sister to watch your classes?"

Jellal laughed and felt the last of his bad mood slide off his shoulders. "Definitely not."

The timer on the side of the machine buzzed and Erza frowned. Jellal loved the dent between her eyebrows and wanted to get to a place where he could kiss it.

"I guess that's me," she muttered. Jellal held out his hand again and pulled her to her feet. She didn't let go right away and he could not stop smiling.

"I should get out, too. There's a couch at home calling my name."

"Must be a hot couch," she said with a grin, stepping from the tub.

"Netflix and chill."

"I think you knocked out the chill part already." Erza grabbed the robe and wrapped it around her body. She turned back to him as he was testing his ankle – still hurt. "If you're feeling up to it, I have a match tomorrow night. You should come."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah – I mean if your couch can stand to give you up."

"I'll break it to her softly."

Erza's cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink as she smiled wider. "I'll see you there, Jellal. Bring your number so you can give it to me after I win."

"I'll do that," he said with a chuckle.

"See you then." She turned and left him alone by the tub.

Jellal nearly forgot about his twisted ankle until he stepped forward onto it. His string of curses reached the ears of the nearest trainer, who frowned and shook her head.


	65. Cheap as Fate

_**"Anonymous asked: Best friends visit a carnival fortune teller who predicts they'll fall deeply in love but they're skeptical and laugh it off. Slowly the signs she predicted start to come true and you can do the rest!"**_

 _ **I had a plan but threw it out the window. I don't think this is the way I'd have written it if I'd taken this request the first time it came through. I like the way it turned out anyway.**_

* * *

 **Cheap as Fate**

* * *

"Oh, come on!" Erza whined. "It's my _birthday!"_

"Fortune tellers are stupid," he said with a shrug. "That stuff creeps me out." Erza bit her lip and picked at her basket of fries. Simon grimaced and reached across the picnic table for her hands but she could only stare at them. "We can do something else instead."

"Instead of what?" Jellal plopped onto the bench beside Erza and snatched one of her fries. His plastic cup of beer was half empty and she gazed at it longingly. Lately she'd been feeling the compulsion to drink more frequently and had only just begun to acknowledge the correlation with Simon's presence. Jellal nonchalantly slid his cup in front of her and took a handful more of her fries.

"I want to see the fortune teller," Erza muttered before finishing off the beer. The plastic rim tasted of spearmint gum – a solid indication that Jellal hadn't had too many other drinks.

"Why can't you?" Jellal asked.

"I don't like fortune tellers or ouija boards or tarot cards," Simon complained.

"It's harmless." Jellal shrugged.

"Maybe for _you,"_ Simon shot back with a scowl. _"Most_ of us didn't grow up sounded by weird stuff."

Jellal grinned in a way that set off Erza's internal alarm bells. Her finger hooked protectively in the edge of Jellal's t-shirt under the cover of the table. As much as he clashed with his dad, he'd been very close with his spiritualist mother before her death. Comments like Simon's never went over well. Jellal's eyes finally dropped and he gathered the food trash.

"I'll take her," he said casually.

 _"Really?"_ Erza asked, surprised. He may not have an aversion to such things but he didn't seek them out either.

"Of course." Jellal stood, tossed the trash in a nearby bin, and held out his hand. He didn't even glance in Simon's direction. Erza took his hand and smoothed her skirt with the other.

"Simon –" she began, not even sure what she wanted to say. Apologizing felt ridiculous, and placating him even more so.

"Go on, Erza," he muttered, still scowling. "I'm gonna head out. Happy birthday." Simon swung his legs over the bench and Erza watched her boyfriend disappear into the crowd. Jellal squeezed her hand.

"I'm sorry for what he said about your family," she offered. He tore his eyes away from the strings of lights and smiled down at her. His smiles always made her smile.

"You aren't responsible for what comes out of his mouth, Erza."

"I still feel bad. He shouldn't have said that."

"He's an asshole. Want another beer before we head over? You killed mine pretty quick."

"No," she laughed. "I'd like to be somewhat sober while my future is read for me."

"No one can tell the future. Fate is cheap anyway." Jellal released her hand and tugged playfully on the end of her braid that hung over her shoulder. "But I'll sit through anything for your birthday."

Erza smiled wider and felt the beer buzz creep up on her. "You're such a good friend."

"The very best."

* * *

The tent was adjacent to a travel trailer. Deep purple curtains hung from the edges of a retractable awning to block out the sights – and surprisingly the sounds – of the surrounding carnival. Once inside, Erza felt discombobulated as the space was much larger than it appeared from outside. A card table sat in the center and the surface was littered with things Erza thought Jellal would be able to identify if asked. Curls of incense smoke drifted from two sticks that had been poked into a pot of sand but the scent did little to mask the stench of weed. All of the candles were electric and Jellal snorted. Erza jabbed him in the ribs.

"Be nice," she hissed. "She probably doesn't want to burn the place down."

"She'd choke on this hotbox before that ever happened," he muttered.

"Actually," a woman said as she slipped from behind several hanging swaths of translucent curtains. "There's too much air flow in here for it to be considered a hot box." She glanced over Jellal with disinterest but smirked when her eye fell on Erza. Glossy brown curls spilled over her shoulders and draped enticingly over her breasts – which had been lifted to stunning heights thanks to her... bra? Erza couldn't tell if it was a bra or only designed to look like one. "Star charts are fifty, tarot spreads are thirty."

"Steep prices for a traveling carnival," Jellal said critically.

"Hey, I'm a professional! I'm not just some idiot with cards they ordered from Amazon."

"Does she get to pick the spread?"

The woman leaned her hip against one of the chairs surrounding her table. Her expression changed from disinterest to something shrewd. "No. That's my call."

"Horseshoe or Celtic Cross?" She didn't answer his question immediately. Her eyes flit back and forth between Erza and Jellal before she pulled out a chair and fell into it.

"I like to keep it simple. Three cards."

"Thirty bucks for a three card spread?" Jellal asked with a laugh. He took Erza's hand again and pulled. "Come on, she's stoned and ripping you off."

 _"Fine!"_ the woman bit out. "I'll do it for twenty." She glared at Erza. "Jesus, your boyfriend is a hardass."

"He's not my boyfriend," Erza muttered, taking a seat across from her. For the first time since she'd appeared, the woman's expression belied interest. Her eyes shot up to Jellal again and she shook her head with something like incredulity when he took a seat beside Erza.

"Huh. Okay then."

Her cards were old and the reverence with which she handled them set Erza's hair on end. She'd seen Jellal's mother handle cards before but this felt different. The woman's fingernails were painted black and she tapped one of the cards.

"Your frustration won't last but the peace won't come to you cheaply," the woman muttered. Erza felt Jellal bristle beside her. She reached over and plucked his hand from his lap. "The strongest thread in your life won't be breaking anytime soon but –"

"But what?" Erza couldn't help herself.

"Change doesn't always mean something breaks." She pointed at the final card and laughed. "This is too easy."

Jellal sighed loudly and shifted in his seat. The woman grinned at him. Erza's heart raced with frustrated anticipation.

"What is it?" she blurted. The woman leaned forward on her arms.

"Three things. First of all, break up with your boyfriend."

"But – but I already told you Jellal isn't –"

The woman rolled her eyes. "Not _this_ guy, the other one. You _do_ have one right? Pretty girls like you don't wander around unattached."

"I do," Erza whispered, ignoring the compliment.

"Get rid of him. Secondly, take the position." Erza's mouth fell open to ask a question but the woman held up her hand. "Whatever it is, I don't need to know. You're about to graduate soon, yeah? Whatever it is that falls in your lap, take it. Third –" Jellal's phone sliced through the mood in the tent. The woman glared at him.

"Sorry, I'll be right back," Jellal muttered, silencing his phone. "It's my dad." He stepped through the tent flaps but Erza's attention was still on the woman.

"He knows about all the cards, huh?" she smiled at Erza again.

"Yeah, his mom was into some things. I'm surprised he came with me, to be honest. She died a few years ago and I think it makes him sad to think about it."

 _"I'm_ not surprised and _you_ shouldn't be either."

"Excuse me?" The woman gathered her cards again and slid them back into the box. Erza's brows dipped into a frown. "But the last card!"

"It's simple, chicky. That guy? If you asked him to cut off his arm to save your life, he'd do it. He'd do it if you wanted drinking money. Whoever's in your bed now – ditch him because your future is out there texting his dad."

"But –"

"Sorry about that," Jellal interrupted, stepping back into the tent. "We done here?" He pulled out his wallet and slid a twenty dollar bill across the tabletop. The woman snatched up the money and grinned.

"We're done."

Erza huffed and stood. She frowned at the woman and then at Jellal who quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah, okay." Once the tent flaps closed behind them, and Erza pulled in a lungful of fresh air, she sighed.

"What's wrong?" Jellal asked, leading her away from the tent and back under the strings of carnival lights. "What did she say to you?"

"Uh –" Erza didn't want to lie but she also didn't want to upset Jellal. He had enough of a complicated relationship with astrology and tarot already. "She said you were my future."

Jellal heaved a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. "Come on," he said softly. "I'll take you home."

He was quiet during the walk back to his car, and the short drive to Erza's apartment building. When he pulled up to the curb he turned the key in the ignition and switched off the headlights. The radio still played on a low volume and Erza watched him with concern.

"I'm sorry for dragging you in there with me."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Erza." He rolled his head to the side and smiled. She'd always been able to tell his real smiles from the fake – the biggest tell being the dimple in his left cheek. Erza touched his cheek and brushed her thumb over the indent. "It's your birthday and you should have what you want."

"She was right about Simon," Erza whispered. "I've been circling that drain for a while. It felt nice to be validated."

"Good. He's –"

"An asshole, I know." She smiled.

"Cards don't make promises," he said in a breath. "They don't work like that."

"Thank you for coming with me, anyway." Jellal took her hand from his cheek and squeezed her fingers.

"Happy birthday, Erza."

* * *

"I gotta say, I'm both surprised and not surprised, Erza." Simon's tone was condescending and she fought the impulse to roll her eyes. She didn't want to take his bait but decided to throw him one last bone.

"I'm sorry." She wasn't.

"Is this about Jellal?" He asked in a way that implied he already had an answer in mind.

"Why would it be about Jellal?"

"Are you fucking him?"

Erza sighed in exasperation. "What we have isn't working out because I'm unhappy and that has nothing to do with Jellal."

"What happened to us, Erza?"

"Simon –"

"We're _meant_ to be together."

Erza stood and pulled her sunglasses from her bag. Enough was enough. "We aren't. Let it go and move on." She slid the sunglasses onto her face and turned to leave the cafe. "I'll see you around, I guess."

The sky was dark with rain clouds and the air hung thick. Erza regretted the sunglasses but didn't want to remove them until she'd cleared Simon's perimeter. She'd been shorter with him than originally intended but he'd said all the wrong things in exactly the right order. Simon seemed to have a knack for that.

Without really thinking about it too hard, she readjusted her destination. Even if he was studying, Erza would rather be with Jellal than alone in her own apartment – or _wishing_ she was alone while Mirajane fucked her boyfriend on the other side of a too-thin wall.

Jellal occupied a studio loft over a bakery owned by an old friend of his mother's. She rented to him at a deep discount in exchange for his help with heavy lifting and managing after hours deliveries. Not that Jellal needed the discount. His mother's estate had more than provided for his education and related costs. Erza suspected he helped the older woman for sentimental reasons.

Erza circled around to the service entrance and found Jellal stacking large sacks of flour. The looming rain seemed to have been waiting for her to arrive and poured from the sky in sheets the second she set foot in the door. Jellal reached around her and slid the door shut.

"You look pissed," he said, grinning.

"I broke up with Simon today."

"Oh yeah?" Jellal turned back to the half-empty pallet and continued to unload the sacks. The muscles in his arms flexed and bunched smoothly. "Did it not go well?"

"It was a break up, Jellal," Erza said dryly.

"So? I've broken up with girlfriends before. I don't think I ever looked as pissed as you do right now." Erza snorted and rolled her eyes. Jellal smiled obnoxiously over his shoulder. "Go on upstairs. I'm almost done here." He fished his keys out of his pocket and tossed them to Erza. She snatched them from the air and left him to his stacking.

The loft was completely typical. Polished concrete floors, a row of widows facing the street, and the only inside doors were on the bathroom and his closet. Erza left his keys on the kitchen counter, shed her bag and jacket, and fell into Jellal's perpetually messy bed. She kicked off her shoes and crawled beneath the sheets and twisted blankets. Everything smelled of his soap. He'd been using the same soap since they were teenagers and Erza considered it a comforting constant.

Rain pelted the windows that tilted in the direction of the roof. Erza hadn't planned on napping but between the scent of satsuma orange bath soap and the sound of the rain, her eyes felt irresistibly heavy.

* * *

She woke to the sound of keyboard clicking. The loft was lit only by a lamp on Jellal's bedside table and the oven light. Satsuma oranges had been replaced by marinara and sausage as the primary scent in her nostrils. Erza sat up and blinked.

"I didn't realize breakups were such taxing work," he said from beside her. Erza felt herself in a better mood and laughed.

"They are."

"You can stay for dinner if you want. I made Stromboli in the kitchen downstairs. It'll be done soon." He was eyeing her closely when she shifted around to face him. His hair was damp and he'd changed into pajama pants and a fresh t-shirt. "Are you really okay?"

"I'm fine. Simon just pissed me off and I let him get to me."

"What did he say?" Jellal asked, his eyes falling back to the screen of his laptop.

Erza sighed and combed her fingers through her hair. "He accused me of cheating on him." Jellal snorted but didn't look up. "You aren't going to ask who he accused me of cheating with?"

Jellal finally glanced at her and smirked. "I can guess."

"Has anyone ever accused you of that?"

"Of cheating? I don't think so, no." Erza watched his eyebrows knit together in a frown directed at his laptop screen. She didn't have to see his work to know it would be a mess of words she didn't understand and formulas she didn't care about.

"You're a nerd, you know that?" she said, smiling and poking her toe into his leg. Jellal grinned and the dimple in his left cheek showed itself. The oven timer buzzed and he shut his laptop.

"Are you staying then? I'm starving."

"Yeah, Mira isn't working tonight and her guy is off tomorrow. I'd like to avoid the wall-banging for as long as possible." She trailed after him across the loft and watched as he pulled the tray of Stromboli from the oven. The dough had turned a perfect golden brown. Cheese bubbled from between the braided sections and thick marinara had left trails down the sides of the roll.

"You're always welcome here, Erza." His knife slid cleanly through the bread and filling. Erza's mouth watered. She shouldn't have waited all day to eat. "I need to make progress on this project so I'll probably be up late but that's got to be less shitty than listening to amateur porn hour through a wall."

"If you think it's only an hour, you're grossly underestimating their stamina," she muttered, taking the offered plate. "Thanks, Jellal, I don't want to deal with any of that tonight."

"So don't." He shrugged and slid an arm around her shoulders as they crossed the room to the couch. "There's no deliveries in the morning so I plan on sleeping in as late as possible. I don't have to meet with my partners until five."

"Tomorrow was supposed to be my off day. No class, no work. I really need to get another apartment." Erza took the seat next to him and picked at her food. It smelled delicious but was probably still too hot to eat.

"Once you graduate, you won't have to worry about staying close to campus. Did you apply for any positions yet?"

"I did. I don't think I'll get the one I want, though. It's at a private school and they're probably looking for someone with experience beyond TA hours."

"You're underselling yourself." He licked a drop of sauce from his thumb and winked at her. "I'd hire you."

"That's because you're biased." Erza tried not to moan with delight when she took her first bite. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation and she ate much quicker than usual. "This is the best thing I've ever tasted."

"You've been living on pop tarts and ramen for too long, Erza." He took her plate and she settled back into the couch cushions listening to the sounds of him packing away the leftovers.

"Not all of us live above a bakery," she said when he rejoined her on the couch. "And I _like_ pop tarts."

"No, you just like the strawberry jam in the middle but can't justify eating just the jam."

"You're so judgy," Erza murmured, curling in on herself and yawning.

"You can eat whatever you want just so long as you actually eat." Jellal settled back into the couch and reached for his laptop. The sound of his keyboard clicks and the feeling of a full stomach made her tired again, but Erza couldn't turn off her mind.

"If I get that job at the private school do you think it means the lady at the carnival was right?" She watched him carefully as his typing came to an abrupt halt.

"Erza," he said with a quiet breath. "If you get the job it's because you have an impeccable transcript, excellent references, and a perfect personality for teaching kids."

"But –"

"And you told me in the car that night you already knew you didn't want to stay with Simon."

"What did she mean when she said peace won't come cheaply?"

"Why is this so important to you?" His face betrayed nothing.

"Because I don't know what I want!" she blurted. Jellal didn't respond right away and Erza felt exposed and frustrated. She stood and headed toward the bathroom. "I'm just going to have a shower and go to bed. I know you've got a lot of work to do."

The water ran scorchingly hot but Erza still felt cold inside. She _knew_ Jellal was right. Tarot cards couldn't predict the future – nothing could. Not _really._ In truth, she wasn't worried about the job _or_ Simon. Of course she wanted this particular position but she wasn't holding her breath – _and_ she'd applied for three others on the same day.

No, her heart sat heavily in her chest for another reason entirely. A reason she didn't feel equipped to examine just yet.

Erza twisted the water off and pat her hair dry before wrapping herself in a towel. When she stepped out of the shower she saw the stack of clean clothes on the bathroom counter. At some point during her time under the spray he'd thought to bring her things to sleep in. She felt guilty for hassling him about the tarot cards and would have to apologize.

The loft was quiet when she left the bathroom. Jellal was back on the couch clicking away on his laptop. Erza padded across the floor and leaned over the back of the sofa, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"I'm sorry for bugging you about what happened at the carnival. I know it's an unhappy subject for you." Her hair left wet marks on his shoulder and her cheek brushed against his. "I promise I'll let it go."

Jellal sighed. His head fell back against her shoulder and his hand grasped her wrists. "Erza, I probably won't graduate for another two or three years. Until then everything is already planned out for me. I'll write papers and read books and squint at computer screens. When that's done I'll probably get a job under a ridiculously pretentious scientist who will one day retire and the circle will repeat. I don't think about uncertainties because I don't have to and it was selfish of me to wave off _your_ insecurities." He turned toward her and his nose brushed hers. "I'm sorry. If you find some kind of comfort in whatever she told you, I support it."

Erza couldn't tear her eyes from his for a very long moment. Half formed questions swirled dizzily in her mind. Instead of voicing any of them, she smiled and released him. Her fingers found purchase in his hair and the tension in the room fizzled.

"Don't stay up too late, okay?" Her words would fall uselessly on him but he nodded all the same. Erza crawled back into his bed and hid her face in a pillow. She'd used his soap and the scent of oranges overtook her.

* * *

 _Wisps of blonde caught in the same morning breeze that lifted the white bedsheets hanging over the lines. Her fingers held all the grace and dexterity Erza wished for her own. The sun peeked through the rustling leaves of the elm tree and dappled the yard with spots of light. Erza's eyes fell to her hands and she scowled at the raspberry stains. A gentle laugh startled her and before she could hide her hands in her pockets Anna took one into hers._

 _"Were you and Jellal in the garden today?"_

 _"Yes," Erza whispered._

 _"I think he prefers it to the house." Anna's voice was quietly musing. "He's gone in the morning and doesn't return until the stars are out." Erza watched Anna brush her thumb over the splotches of red on her fingertips. She wasn't sure how much she could say without betraying Jellal. Would it be a betrayal?_

 _"I think –" Erza paused and sighed. Anna breathed a laugh and released Erza's hand._

 _"Let me see if I can guess and then you won't have to say anything." She smiled down at Erza and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. Erza smiled sheepishly – grateful for the out. "Is it my cooking?"_

 _Erza's mouth dropped open and she shook her head vehemently. She didn't think Jellal would even dream of complaining about any part of his mother._

 _"Is it the house itself? Should we repaint everything red? Perhaps that might lure him back in? I'm pretty sure it's his favorite color." Anna smiled again and chuckled when Erza's cheeks flushed pink. "Is it his dad, then? Have they been arguing?"_

 _Erza's eyes fell from Anna's and to the ground where freshly mowed blades of grass poked between her toes._

 _"I had a feeling," Anna murmured. "They've always clashed. Do you know what tradition means, Erza?"_

 _"Yes," she said quietly. "It means a thing that is always done in a certain way every time."_

 _"You're a smart girl. My husband was brought up in a traditional way in a country far away from here."_

 _"Alvarez?"_

 _"That's right. I don't know why I'm surprised you know that. Of course Jellal would've told you." Anna sighed and clasped her hands together. "Jellal has never met his dad's family. Their ways are different and I'm afraid my husband has suffered greatly for it."_

 _"Are they bad traditions?"_

 _"Mm..." Anna's eyes lifted to the elm tree that presided over the yard. The leaves were rustling again. "I don't know that the traditions themselves are bad. It's more of how they were implemented on a young boy with a cruel father." She smiled down at Erza's wide eyes. "Acnologia doesn't want to be a cruel father, Erza. He struggles with being his own person and what was forced on him. Jellal has never known that sort of oppression and abuse. He can't relate."_

 _"Is that why they fight?"_

 _"Yes." Anna leaned closer to Erza to whisper in her ear. "They are very much alike. Both stubborn and brilliant. I truly hope they can bridge the gap."_

 _"They have you," Erza offered. Anna's smile was sad._

 _"For now."_

* * *

Erza nearly tripped over her bag on her way back to bed from the bathroom. She'd have simply kicked it aside if not for the muted chime. The email was brief but didn't need to be any longer. Her heart raced and she perched on the very edge of Jellal's mattress.

In truth, she'd forgotten about her application. It had been almost six months since then and so many things had happened – including the completion of her assistant teaching hours. Erza blinked just to make sure she was awake and in charge of her faculties.

Rain still pelted the windows and clouds blocked out the sun. It didn't feel like morning. Erza set aside her phone and turned around in the bed. Jellal slept under a mound of pillows and blankets. The sheet was twisted in his legs and she almost laughed. He'd grown up but he hadn't changed. Erza's thoughts fell back onto the worn track from the night before. She wished she hadn't taken the fortune teller's words so seriously but it was too late to let them go now.

'Y _our future is out there texting his dad.'_

The prediction seemed silly and ridiculous out of context. _Of course_ Jellal was her future. They'd been close since they were children and would always remain so. Erza was sleeping in his bed before she could poke her own straws into a juice box. Her mother struggled to keep their life together after fleeing an abusive marriage while still pregnant. Despite Jellal's issues with his father, the man hadn't twitched at all when Anna offered Eileen a refuge for her daughter so she could work as many hours as she needed. The idea of Jellal _not_ being in her future wasn't something that Erza ever considered.

But those weren't the words, were they? The woman hadn't said _in_ your future.

'Y _our future is out there texting his dad.'_

Jellal stirred under the blankets and the pillow covering his head fell to the floor. He'd always been easy to look at. His smile made him popular in high school. Erza had watched him hop from one relationship to another, wondering when someone would catch on. The smiles were fake. Anna's death had broken his heart. When they were alone he didn't bother. He never gave Erza his fake smiles and she let him have his sadness.

She didn't see the _real_ smile – the one with a dimple in the left cheek – until the spring of their final year in high school. Erza showed him her university acceptance letter and for the first time since they'd buried Anna, his clouds parted. She knew he'd been accepted elsewhere. The university in Magnolia couldn't have been _his_ first choice but he followed her there all the same. Jellal was content to lose himself amongst the stars and stack sacks of flour for the lady who remembered his mother.

Erza's gaze rose to the tilted windows. She let her eyes fall out of focus and stared at a blurry sky beyond splatters of rain.

"What time is it?" a sleep rough voice asked. Erza snapped from her thoughts and glanced back down at her phone.

"Just after nine."

"I feel like hell." Jellal sat up and she laughed at the state of his hair.

"You stayed up too late."

"I lost track of time, I guess. I don't think I shut off until nearly four."

Erza sighed and shook her head. "You shouldn't be living alone, Jellal. You need someone to tell you when it's too late or too much."

"I told you last night that I'd hire you," he said with a grin as he leaned over to grab a t-shirt off the floor.

"You couldn't afford me," Erza countered softly. She watched him pull on the t-shirt and fall back into the pillows. "I got a job offer."

"The one you wanted?"

"No, not exactly. When I was looking for TA placement I put in an application at a Montessori school on this side of town. I never heard back from them and forgot about it." She opened the email again and handed her phone to Jellal. His eyebrows raised slowly and the dimple in his left cheek appeared. "They want an interview."

"That's great, Erza. They'll be lucky to have you." He clicked the phone off and set it aside. His eyes prodded her in a way no one else's ever did – or knew to do. "Is it what you want? You should _always_ do what you want."

"I think it's what I want." Her throat felt tight. "I've been stressed out for weeks and then I had to deal with Simon and that email just –" Erza blinked away tears and blotted her face dry with the edge of his sheet. "It fell in my lap."

 _'Whatever it is that falls in your lap, take it.'_

She hadn't meant to use those words but they rattled her all the same. Jellal's eyes hadn't left her and Erza tried to laugh off her tears.

"I'm suffering from emotional whiplash, I think."

"You're allowed to cry, Erza. I'm not judging you." He flung back the blankets on her side of the bed and she took the hint. Erza slid back into her place and let Jellal cover them both. She hadn't slept in his bed since dating Simon for just over a year. Simon's bed hadn't ever felt right and she'd never let him sleep in hers.

When Jellal's chest pressed against her back and his arm draped over her hip Erza asked herself if she was waiting for him or if _he_ was the one waiting for _her._

* * *

Erza could smell the raspberry popovers before walking into the bakery. As much as she loved strawberry jam and strawberry cake and just plain strawberries in general, Erza had a serious weakness for raspberries. The lobby of the bakery was empty but a plate stacked with the popovers sat on the glass countertop completely untouched.

The door swung shut behind her and she hardly noticed the bell for the food. Jellal appeared in the doorway that led to the kitchen and he leaned against the frame with a smile on his face.

"Well?" he asked. Erza's lips twitched into a smirk and she left her bag on the counter to examine the pastries.

"Where's your boss?"

"All this rain was aggravating her arthritis so I told her I'd close up."

"You've done a terrible job," Erza teased. "You left food out and the front door is completely unlocked." His dimple deepened as he pushed off the doorframe and crossed the lobby to lock the front door and draw the curtains that covered the bottom row of display windows. He flicked off the overhead lights but left the decorative lamps on to cast a yellow circles over the floor. The top row of windows were aflame with the few rays of sunset that peeked through the cloud cover.

Jellal joined her near the counter and nodded at the popovers.

"I made those myself."

"All by yourself?" Erza asked biting her bottom lip. He coughed awkwardly.

"Well, I had a _little_ help."

"I see."

"Tell me about your interview."

"They offered me a position on the spot. Apparently one of my professors from last semester gave a _glowing_ recommendation."

"Of course they did. You're amazing, Erza."

"As amazing as these popovers?" She didn't know why she was deflecting but it felt a lot like flirting. Every time he touched her now it felt like something new and electric. She wanted to lose herself in him but the gap between what she wanted and what she was afraid of loomed.

"Hey," he whispered, curling a strand of her hair around his finger. "Did I lose you?"

"Jellal –" Erza's eye snagged on the band of red that circled his finger. She didn't think he'd been standing so close a moment ago. "Do you remember last Christmas when we went to that party?"

He blinked in surprise. "Yeah, I do."

"We were all drinking and played that stupid mistletoe game."

"I didn't."

"Hm?"

"I didn't play," Jellal said quietly. "I opted out."

"Oh." Erza focused on his shoulder. "That's right."

"Simon kissed you that night."

"He did." Erza closed her eyes. She didn't care for these memories but her fears were tangled up with them. "He said it was fate that I guessed it was him. That we were _meant_ to be together. I _hated_ how important that was to him and bit my tongue every time he brought it up because it wasn't _fate_ , Jellal, it was his cologne. He wears sandalwood and I could smell it a mile away."

"You hate sandalwood."

"It felt so fake and out of my control." She finally met his concerned gaze. "I don't want fate, Jellal. I want to _choose._ I want to know when I wake up everyday that I'm actively choosing someone."

"Cards can't predict the future, Erza." The rain had begun to fall again and the sound of drops against the outside awning made the room feel smaller. "They can _sometimes_ give an idea of what _might_ happen if you don't change course."

"I don't want to change course." She was only inches away from him now.

"I made my choice a long time ago."

"You never said anything." Erza watched him smile in a sad way that reminded her so much of Anna.

"My mom knew she was going to die. Did you know that?" He sighed when she closed a hand around the fingers still in her hair. "Even before the doctors told her it was cancer, she knew. I've always hated the idea of knowing what would happen before it happened. I think she told my dad." Jellal paused and his eyes burned into hers. "I think it ruined him. He loved her _so much_. After she died he didn't even try to move on. He told me once her death was his _destino robado."_

"Jellal –"

"I hated it. I never wanted to be trapped by something like that – or to make _you_ feel trapped or obligated."

"That's why you were so upset after the carnival." Erza pulled her hair free of his fingers and wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands found her waist and secured her solidly against his chest. "You were right about fate," she whispered. "It's cheap and carries an ugly entitlement. Maybe the road to this exact moment has been long but we're here now and I've made it on my own."

"Are you sure?"

Erza's palms slid over his shoulders and the pads of her thumbs brushed the line of his jaw. "I'm sure."

Jellal's lips touched hers almost hesitantly but then found a pressure that sent Erza's heart racing. He kissed her without reservation and she thought maybe this was the free fall she'd been looking for. His fingers found her hair again and Erza grinned.

"How many raspberries did you eat before getting the popovers right?"

"I may have had a few." She didn't need to see it to know his smile was real. Thunder crashed beyond the walls of the bakery and Erza jumped. The sky was almost completely dark. "Don't go," Jellal muttered pressing his lips to her cheeks and forehead before kissing her again.

"I wasn't planning on it."

* * *

The pounding of rain in the loft was louder than the floor below and Erza was glad for the white noise. Her breaths and gasps were nearly drowned out but Jellal's whispered words came through clear. His skin against hers filled her with excited want and Erza could not remember a time when she'd given so freely.

He fit perfectly against her and the realization hadn't come easily or quickly. Though he tasted like raspberries, the familiar scent of oranges hung around the bed. They mixed together to create an intoxicating fragrance Erza knew to be expensive. It was nothing so cheap as fate.


	66. A Surprising Edge

_**"Anonymous asked: Hi! I was waiting for people to request this but it seems nobody thought of it yet. Could you do a sensory link between our fave red and blue heads?"**_

 _ **I assumed nothing was off the table!**_

* * *

 **A Surprising Edge**

* * *

Over the years she's gotten to know Jellal quite well. More than most – less than Erza. She doesn't think anyone knows him in all the ways Erza does. He is a complex, tangled mess. As much as she loves Ultear, Meredy knows the tightest knots in his tangles were made at her hands. Most days she chooses not to examine this fact.

Jellal is many things. He is calculating and cunning. He is strong and fearsome. He held the reigns of a notorious band of criminals. But he is soft in the middle and when he smiles – _really_ smiles – he could part the darkest clouds in the sky. He's filled more than one gap in Meredy's life, however haphazardly. If he wanted to, Meredy knew Jellal could flatten a city but she does not fear him.

 _Erza_ , on the other hand, has a glare that prickles Meredy's skin with unease. She knows Erza is a kind woman. She knows Erza would never hurt her. She knows Erza cares deeply about those she calls friends but there is something unnerving about a dramatic woman who commands an untold number of swords. So when Erza approaches Meredy and inquires after the details of a sensory link, she doesn't hesitate to divulge.

"So..." Erza trails off and picks at her fingernail awkwardly. "So if there was a hypothetical link between myself and someone else... is that a thing you can feel yourself? Or is it just between the two people linked."

"Unless I include myself, I'm not privy to what's being shared."

"I see." Erza frowns, glances around the guildhall, and tucks her hair behind an ear. "Do you think maybe you could do me a favor? Please Meredy? I can certainly return it. If you know someone who needs threatening or –"

"Uh," Meredy laughs nervously. "No, that's perfectly fine. I don't need anything like that. Just tell me what kind of scenario you're looking for."

"Well –" Erza's eyes refuse to meet Meredy's and when they do, her cheeks flush a bright pink. "Next week is Jellal's birthday and he'll be in Era."

Meredy blinks. She's traveled with Jellal for nearly a decade. Not once has he ever mentioned a – "Birthday?"

"Yeah." Erza fidgets. Her face is still pink. "It's not his _real_ birthday. I don't – I mean, he doesn't –" She sighs and her eyes flit to the ceiling. "It's just a day we picked a long time ago. He has one and I have one... I'm sorry. I'm babbling."

"No, it's fine." Meredy smiles. When Jellal talks about Erza his voice softens in a way it almost never does. She realizes now it's a mutual thing.

"Anyway, he'll be in Era and _not here_ and I know it probably matters to _me_ more than _him_ but I honestly think that's part of the problem –" Erza cuts off and sucks in a breath. She smiles at Meredy and tries to relax. "I think you know what I mean on that front."

"I do."

"So, to finally get to the point, I was wondering if maybe you could link him to me? He'll be gone for three days and I just –"

"It's not a problem, Erza." Meredy says with a smile. She thinks she understands Erza's intention but has no interest in digging for more details.

* * *

It's nearly midnight when Erza decides to test out the link. Jellal had been surprisingly agreeable when Meredy connected the two of them. If Erza had her druthers, it would've been done without his knowledge but such a thing wasn't possible. The hour is late but she knows he is awake – and this is only partly due to the sensory link. Jellal is a night owl. She feels his fatigue but his attentions are engaged. His fingers glide over the pages of a book.

Erza grins. She falls back against their pillows and bites her lip. Her mind cards through the same options she's been obsessing over all day before she throws caution to the wind and slips her hand between her thighs. Jellal drops his book. Erza knows this because the heavy binding lands on his toes. The pain is sudden but she ignores it.

Her fingers trace all the patterns she knows that he knows she likes best. Erza can't tell if she can't catch her own breath or if he's the one gasping. It doesn't matter. She likes to play on the edge. Twice she tiptoes right to the spot she knows will tumble her over into a quivering mess but eases back. Her – _their –_ heart is racing.

His reaction surprises her. There is a new curl of tension seated in a spot lower, and further back, than what she's used to. It isn't her own pleasure center and it pleases her to know where he twitches and coils. Erza's breaths are heavy. Her thighs are trembling but – the edge is gone. His breaths are more confident than hers and she bites her lip. _Hard._ She feels him laugh.

Jellal's edge is further than hers. Erza is surprised. She's always thought herself a pro at holding out. Her skills in surging forward and pulling back at the last moment have been – up until this point – a source of pride. He impresses her with his control and Erza lets him have it. Her fingers slow to his pace and he pulls her through an orgasm she does not expect.

She is still catching her breath when her communications lacrima lights up.

 _"That was sneaky, Erza, I miss you,"_ his text reads.

 _"I miss you, too. Happy Birthday,"_ she replies. The link was never meant to be his real gift. _That_ is waiting for him on the dining table wrapped in green paper. For now, though, she is satisfied with her own cleverness. Perhaps next year he'll take his own important days more seriously. He is worth it.


	67. For the Love of Fluffy

_**"ahumanintraining/thir13enth asked: The Nine Lives of Christmas: A confirmed bachelor adopts a stray cat, which leads a pretty veterinary student to enter his life and alter his feelings about remaining single."**_

 _ **So I admit it's not Jellal who is bad at naming pets, it's me.**_

* * *

 **For the Love of Fluffy**

* * *

Jellal hated arresting people. His partner, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind so much. He let Laxus cuff the guy and direct his drunken stagger toward the cruiser. Jellal kicked through some of the garbage in the man's front yard and sighed. The night had been long; each call more bizarre than the last – some shifts were like that, though. Sometimes he was stuck in the car for hours as Laxus circled through neighborhoods and city streets, bitching about his grandpa or whining about his girlfriend. Other nights they didn't even have time to stop for bathroom breaks, much less food.

Just as he was turning back to the cruiser, a pair of glinting yellow eyes caught his attention. Jellal picked through the overgrown grass and crouched at the edge of the flowerbed. Cowering under the unkempt brush was a cat – a kitten most like. Not quite big enough to be full grown but not tiny either. Jellal held out his hand but the animal backed against the house.

 _"Fernandes!"_ Laxus's voice called from the driveway. "Let's go! I wanna book this guy and get home!"

"Bring me those chicken nuggets," Jellal said over his shoulder.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"The chicken nuggets, man. The ones in the bag."

"You mean my fucking dinner?"

"You can get more and eat them hot when we're done. Just bring me the ones in the bag!" Jellal could hear Laxus grumbling, but he did bring the food – even if he sulked in the process.

"What's your problem?" He tossed the bag to the ground at Jellal's side and put his hands on his hips above his belt. Jellal slowly opened the bag and pulled out the box of cold chicken. He tore one nugget into a few bits and held the pieces toward the cat.

Nothing. The cat simply stared at him from under the bush. Jellal swallowed a frustrated growl.

"You're scaring her," he muttered to Laxus. "Just wait for me in the car."

"I'm scaring _who?"_ Laxus got down next to Jellal and peered into the bushes. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me."

"Just _go."_

"You're _not_ bringing a cat with us. Call animal control." Laxus stood. "Or better yet, leave it alone. Cats wander."

"It's not a big deal," Jellal said quietly, wishing Laxus would leave him to lure the cat on his own. "We can finish up at the station and I'll take it home with me."

"What if it has rabies?"

Jellal rolled his eyes. "It doesn't have rabies."

"You don't know that."

"Just go back to the car. She's terrified of you."

 _"She?"_ Laxus demanded. "So now it's a girl cat? Jesus, man, you need to get laid. Get the fuck up and let's go."

Jellal tried to remain calm. "What if I told the Lieutenant what _really_ happened to your last set of cuffs?"

"You –" Laxus froze. Jellal could feel the anger rolling off him. "You wouldn't _dare."_

"If you don't let me handle this cat, I absolutely will. I don't know that Mirajane would like that story repeated." Jellal inched as close to the flowerbed as he could. "I'm sure it would be horrifying for her that you told even _me."_

"You fucking rat bastard." Laxus's complaint was lodged, but he did walk away.

"Sorry about that," Jellal whispered to the cat. "He's an ass but he won't hurt you." Yellow eyes blinked slowly before a pair of black paws began to stretch forward. It was a full minute before the cat stood and leaned into his hand to sniff at the breaded chicken bits.

The cruiser's headlights flashed on and off. Jellal jammed his irritation to the back of his mind and waited for the cat to clear the bushes. She took the chicken from the palm of his hand and when he carefully wrapped his arm around her middle, there was no protest.

Jellal slid into the passenger side of the cruiser and grinned smugly..

"I can't believe you," Laxus fumed.

* * *

He made her a bed of old camping blankets after a quick bath in the kitchen sink. Jellal couldn't tell exactly how old the cat was but he thought she was developed enough to have visible male parts – and she didn't. He left her in the nest of blankets before leaving shedding his uniform to the bedroom floor and showering his shift away.

Nights like these were when he was most grateful to be single. He didn't have to talk about his day or listen to someone else go on about theirs, and he could simply fall into bed unconcerned with used clothes and towels. Jellal didn't actually think his job was conducive to relationships and could not understand where Laxus's energy to maintain one came from.

With his hand on the flap of his towel, Jellal stopped cold in the bedroom doorway. His new companion was curled into a black ball of fur on the edge of his bed. She didn't move except to breathe. He'd always thought cats to be independent creatures, yet this one was perfectly comfortable making herself at home in his bed. Her fur was soft to the touch and when his hand came to rest on her middle, the sound of purring surged.

Jellal decided she could stay. He didn't have the heart to kick her back out to the living room. The next two days were his own time and would figure out what to do with her in the morning.

* * *

"Full?" He repeated incredulously. "I didn't realize – Oh, okay. Of course." Jellal ended the call and tossed his phone to the couch cushion beside him. He'd called four animal shelters and not one would take the cat – the first actually _would've_ taken her but their website said nothing about _'no-kill'_ policies and the thought of _that_ made his stomach turn. The cat nudged his elbow with her nose and he lifted his arm to allow her into his lap.

"I'm sorry, girl. I'm trying to to find you a home but I'm not having a lot of luck." She curled into his lap and began the roaring purr he'd heard the night before. "I'm sure a boring guy like me isn't what you want."

Jellal stroked the soft fur of her back thoughtfully. A paw reached out to the edge of his shirt and her claws caught in the fabric. How hard would a cat be, _really?_ Did he even have time to take care of her? He didn't know the first thing about keeping a pet. Jellal felt like an idiot when he realized all he had to do was call a veterinary clinic and _ask._

He reached for his phone again, called the first clinic that popped up in his search, and made an appointment.

* * *

As agreeable as she'd been thus far, the little cat did _not_ like the veterinary clinic. She dug her claws into Jellal's shoulder and flattened her ears. Even once they were situated in a private exam room, she didn't want to be removed from his shoulder.

"Hey," he whispered, when the tech left them alone. "It's fine. You're fine." The cat's tension didn't lessen at all and Jellal finally sighed and settled into one of the chairs.

The exam room door swung open again and the cat panicked. She tore herself from Jellal's shoulder and disappeared under the row of chairs. Jellal dropped to his knees and peeked between the legs of the chair. The cat was huddled all the way back against the wall in the corner.

"I didn't mean to scare her," a female voice said. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine. Just a little skittish, I think."

"I'm very sorry." A hand lightly touched his shoulder before she crouched beside him and grimaced. "I should've knocked first."

"I don't think it would've helped," he said, glancing over at her. She smiled and Jellal suddenly felt like smiling too. Warm brown eyes and a coil of his _favorite_ shade of red hair – if it hadn't been his favorite before, it certainly was now – drew him in. Jellal blinked and felt like an idiot for staring. "Are you the vet?" he blurted. She laughed.

"I am." The woman peered under the chair. "I mean I'm not _the_ vet. This isn't _my_ practice or anything. I'm new here." When she straightened again, her cheeks were pink. Jellal loved it. "I feel really bad about scaring her."

"Please don't. I had to lure her from a flowerbed last night with cold chicken nuggets." Jellal eased back up into the chair and the veterinarian sat opposite him. "I don't know anything about having a pet."

"You're positive it's a female?"

"Well –" Jellal cleared his throat awkwardly. "I had a look last night when I bathed her. I didn't see any... thing."

"She looks old enough to have testicles."

"Right," Jellal breathed, running a hand through his hair. "Testicles. Listen, I don't even know what questions to ask."

"Are you keeping her?"

"I think so. I called a few shelters this morning but –"

"It's a bad time of year for that, I'm afraid."

"I can't leave her at a place that might euthanize her. I just can't." Jellal watched her pull a clipboard from the exam table and glance over his information. "I'm allowed to keep her, right?"

"Of course!" She smiled at him again and his stomach flipped over. Her finger flicked a wisp of hair from her eye and she set aside the clipboard. "You said you work a lot?"

"Yeah. My shift is pretty set for now, but it's not ideal."

"My dad was a police officer. I know it can be taxing."

"How –"

Her cheeks flushed pink again and she pointed at his chest. "Your t-shirt. Magnolia P.D., right? I'd recognize that logo anywhere." Jellal glanced down at his shirt, abashed.

"I didn't even realize I'd put this on."

"It's okay, Mister Fernandes. We all get sucked into our jobs sometimes." Her eyes fell to her hands and then to the floor where a curious set of paws were inching into view. "Some professions more than others."

"It looks like she's regained the boldness that had her sleeping on my bed last night."

"Maybe." The veterinarian carefully dropped her hand down to brush over the kitten's ears. "I hope so anyway." When her attention didn't leave the emerging cat, Jellal took the opportunity to study the name tag pinned to the front of her white coat. _Scarlet._ The strand of hair she'd flicked away earlier, fell again and his finger twitched. Finally, she straightened and pulled the previously cowering animal into her lap. "There, see?" she said softly. "We can be friends. I didn't mean to scare you."

The cat purred very loudly as she sniffed the open flaps of the white coat. With the most careful of touches, Doctor Scarlet began to inspect the cat's body.

"You were right. She's a girl. I'd put her at about nine months and she's definitely not been spayed."

"That's the same as neutering, right?" Jellal asked tentatively.

"Yep." She smiled as her fingers slid under the cat's belly and felt along her ribs. "She's also a little skinny. I wouldn't recommend table food, though. There's plenty of brands of cat food to choose from."

"What kind would _you_ recommend?"

"I'll make some notes in your care instructions."

"Thank you, I really appreciate it."

"It's not a problem, Mister Fernandes. I'm here to help." The cat nudged her palm with a pink nose. "I would highly recommend a round of vaccinations and the basic line of tests just to make sure she's healthy."

"What's the basic line of tests?"

"Cultures for intestinal worms, an antibody test for heartworms, and separate tests for feline leukemia and immunodeficiency. It doesn't look like she has fleas but considering you found her in a flowerbed, a flea treatment wouldn't hurt."

"Like a flea collar?"

"No, those can be very problematic. You can bathe her at home with shampoo or we can do it here. There's a few different preventative treatments you can go with if she'll be outside at all – which I also don't recommend."

"I live in an apartment so she'll be inside all the time."

"Good!" Doctor Scarlet drew the cat against her chest and stood. "We can do the shots and take samples today, if you want. Results can take a few days but if you want these things done, it's probably best to get it out of the way."

"Perfect. What about the other thing?"

"Other thing? Do you mean the spay? I can schedule that for you."

"Thanks. I'm sorry for not knowing any of this stuff."

"Don't worry about it!" She placed the cat back in his lap gently and her hands disappeared into her pockets. "I'll get the vaccinations and culture kits. It'll just be a minute or two."

Doctor Scarlet opened and closed the door quietly behind her. Jellal exhaled heavily. He wished the veterinarian had been someone old and unattractive. _Why_ did it have to be a young woman – who appeared to be roughly his peer in age – with a soft smile and hair he couldn't keep his eyes off of? Not that she was even an _option_ – he would never consider hitting on a woman while she was working – but Jellal enjoyed his life the way it was. He could take any shift required without hesitation and everything in his life was _expressly_ his.

The sound of purring and pressure on his thighs, drew Jellal's eyes down. His new companion gazed up at him and slowly blinked. He supposed he wasn't alone anymore anyway but he'd rather not leave the door wide open for just anyone to walk through.

* * *

"Mira wants to move in together," Laxus said breaking the silence in the cruiser. Jellal took a long pull off his water bottle. He'd have given _anything_ to avoid the subject of Laxus's personal life. "I think she wants to get married or something."

Jellal sighed and gazed out of his window. "How do you know that?"

"Why _else_ would she want to move in together?" Laxus demanded irritably.

"I don't know, maybe she just wants to... _live together?"_

"You don't think it's a head game or a hint?"

"I think you've been spending too much time on Reddit. Women aren't actually trying to subjugate men. If Mirajane wants the two of you to get a place together, that's probably all she wants."

"Hm."

"Have you tried talking to her about it?" Jellal tapped the water bottle cap against the window. From his peripheral, he could see Laxus's eye twitching.

"You're a smartass."

"Better a smartass than a dumbass."

"Speaking of dumbass shit, what did you end up doing with that cat?"

"I'm keeping her."

 _"What?!"_ Laxus glanced over at him in disbelief. "Why didn't you just take it to a shelter? Cats have fleas and claws."

"She doesn't have fleas and none of the shelters would take her."

"Mira has a friend who works at a vet clinic. She's always got crazy stories about people and their pets. I can't believe you kept that fucking cat."

"It's fine. She likes me and I took her to the vet already."

"You need a girlfriend."

"No," Jellal said under his breath. "I need a less chatty partner."

"Did you get that department email?"

"Yep." Jellal went back to tapping his water bottle lid on the window. He didn't know why he was being so snappish and evasive with Laxus but the question annoyed him. Of course he'd received the email and, _of course,_ he'd be at the event. The city's children's charities fundraiser was very personal to him – not that Laxus knew anything about _that_.

 _"And?"_

"How long have we been partners, Dreyar?"

"I don't know. Three, maybe four years?"

"And when have I ever _not_ attended the spring children's charity fundraiser?"

"Eh –" Laxus's thumb drummed on the steering wheel.

"I'll be there, just not in uniform. I'm off that day." Jellal glanced over at Laxus, whose jaw twitched suspiciously. "Why do you care?"

"Just curious."

"You're a shitty liar."

"Mira thinks –"

"No, you _both_ think. And I'm _not_ meeting any more of her friends. I'm happy just the way I am! I even have a pet now!" Laxus shifted uncomfortably in the driver's seat and Jellal scowled. "You should move in with your girlfriend. You're perfect for each other."

"I'll tell her to back off." The radio crackled and rattled off an address. Laxus sighed and switched on the lights and siren. "I still can't believe you kept the cat, Fernandes."

* * *

Jellal crossed his ankles and stared at the bedroom ceiling. Four points of pressure took up residence on his chest and he smiled at the settling lump of black fur. He still hadn't picked out a proper name and had taken to simply calling her Fluffy. She purred loudly when his hand fell into a pattern of stroking her ears and back.

 _"You_ don't think I need a girlfriend, do you, Fluffy?" The cat – obviously – did not answer him. Her yellow eyes slid closed. "It's not that I _don't_ want someone else in my life. I think I just..." Jellal trailed off and let his arm flop on the mattress beside him. He needed a shower. Fluffy seemed to read his mind and hopped from his chest to the edge of the bed.

When Jellal stepped from the shower, the bathroom still swirled with steam. He used his palm to wipe the mirror and sighed at his reflection. Maybe he really _did_ need a girlfriend if he was having soul searching sessions with a cat.

* * *

The day felt absolutely perfect. Just the right amount of clouds hung in the sky to keep the sun from scorching everyone, and a breeze ruffled the leaves of the trees. Jellal handed off the last cluster of balloons to a volunteer and tossed the empty spools of ribbon into a waiting trash bag.

"Thank you so much for coming, Jellal," Ultear said, tying off the bag.

"I always do." His hands slid into his pockets.

"You don't have to, though. That's why it matters."

"Kids should always have safe places. I would give more if I could."

"Showing up at all is a big deal for some of them." Ultear pulled the cover back over the helium tank.

"That's a shitty standard," he muttered.

"I finally got the building permit. Construction for the expansion starts in two months."

"Let me know if you need anything."

"Of course." She smirked, slid her arm through his, and pulled him up the sloping hill toward the long stretch of arbor that led back to the parking lot. From the crest they could see the entire park and the amphitheater's lawn slowly fill with brightly colored blankets. Hints of late afternoon sunlight glinted off soap bubbles and kites emblazoned with the charity's logo soared in the air. When the sun set, the stage would be the center of attention. "What's bothering you?"

"Am I so obvious?"

"Incredibly."

"My partner says I need a girlfriend and thinks I'm crazy because I took in a stray cat."

"Do _you_ think you need a girlfriend?"

"I think I like the cat," Jellal hedged. "She purrs pretty loud and sleeps on my back but she's nice." He laughed and added, "Needy."

"Jellal –"

"I'm fine, Ultear." Her head came to rest on his shoulder and she sighed.

"I'm hardly one to dispense relationship advice, and I'm not saying you should go all out and get on a dating site or anything, but maybe stop thinking of a girlfriend as a performative concept and more of a thing you share with someone else." Jellal opened his mouth to reply but Ultear tightened her grip on his arm. "I bet you didn't think you wanted or needed a pet before you got a cat, right?"

"I coaxed her out of the flower bed of a drunk guy we arrested," he said blandly. "So no, I didn't contemplate having a pet before that and didn't even decide to keep her until I couldn't find a shelter that wouldn't euthanize her."

"And now you care about her and take care of her properly?"

"Yeah," Jellal admitted. He suddenly grinned down at Ultear. "Wanna get married? I'd marry _you."_

Ultear's peal of laughter carried. "Jellal, even if I was into men, I wouldn't marry _you."_

"I had to ask, you understand."

"You're a romantic at heart, Jellal. I'd eat you alive for breakfast and be hungry again by eleven."

"I always knew you were a cannibal." Ultear laughed again but cut off abruptly. Jellal glanced down and found her distracted.

"Now, _she_ looks yummy." Jellal followed Ultear's gaze and stiffened.

"Holy shit," he breathed.

"I know, right? That hair is something else." Ultear wasn't wrong. The scarlet hair Jellal had only ever seen twisted into a bun hung freely about her shoulders.

"Yeah..." He suddenly broke his stare and coughed. "I mean, sure, I guess. That's Fluffy's vet."

Ultear spun on him. "You named your cat _Fluffy?_ Honestly, Jellal."

"What? It's a perfectly good name." His eyes slid back to Doctor Scarlet without asking his permission.

"Wow, you've got it bad. Go talk to the redhead."

"I don't –" When Jellal looked away from the red hair that had caught in the breeze, Ultear was gone. She had a habit of popping in and out whenever she pleased. Doctor Scarlet was still standing near the base of the slope. Her fingers slid though her hair as she tried to control it.

Jellal never meant to surprise her, but that's what happened. She startled when he called her name.

"Did I scare you?" His smile fell away and his hands found their way back into his pockets.

"Uh, no." He watched her grip on her hair tighten anxiously.

"I think I did. I'm really sorry."

"It's fine." She tried to smile but her lips were tight. "I just haven't been here in a while."

"To the park?"

"No –" She exhaled heavily and released her hair. Her shoulders relaxed. "This event." Doctor Scarlet glanced back down the hill. Her eyes held an anxiety he hated that he recognized at all.

"I skipped it for a few years when I turned eighteen," he said softly. "It wasn't until I was in college and on my own that I felt okay about it. Not all my memories are bad." She looked up at him and bit her lip in hesitation.

"Mine aren't _bad,_ really. Just... sad."

"You mentioned before that your dad was a cop."

She nodded. "He was, yes. Thirteen is a hell of a time to lose your only parent."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It was a long time ago. The children's charity is great. I went away to college and only moved back last summer. It was always my intention to volunteer. I missed the sign up window, though."

"I hope you'll stay, Doctor Scarlet."

"I think I will, _Mister Fernandes."_ Her smile was genuine and slightly teasing.

"Jellal is fine."

"Call me Erza, then. Do you come every year?"

"I do now. Not having a home or family sucks but it's a reality for way too many kids. A good friend of mine has a group home. She's a professional advocate. I support her when I can."

"The world needs more of that." The sun had long passed it's zenith and the clouds mingled with the lingering rays creating an orange and purple tint. Erza's hair _– somehow –_ glowed even more brilliantly.

"Are you staying for the show? I understand the symphony is providing a live soundtrack to the movie." Jellal couldn't tell if she was blushing or if the sunset was playing tricks with the light.

"I'd like to. I was supposed to meet a friend here but I haven't seen her."

"Oh!" He took a step back. "I didn't mean to keep you from anything." She smiled and reached out to touch his shirt sleeve.

"You aren't. I'm glad we ran into each other." Erza didn't release his arm and Jellal stepped closer again. "My friend's boyfriend can be a crank so I'm sure she's trying to keep him entertained."

"That's relatable. My partner is the same way. If he doesn't have a snack mid-shift, he's intolerable."

"Do you bring him snacks?" She asked with a smile. Her hand slid down his arm and stopped at his wrist.

"No, there's a place near the station that keeps him pretty solidly in chicken nuggets at midnight and three."

"Did you steal your partner's nuggets to earn the trust of a cat in a flowerbed, Jellal?" Erza stood at his side now, her shoulder brushing his arm.

"I might've. They were cold anyway." He caught her hand in his and tugged lightly. "Let's find your friend. Things will be too dark soon." She didn't pull her hand away and Jellal couldn't stop the excited euphoria from rising in his chest. Between the undeniable and almost immediate chemistry, and the atmosphere of the evening, Jellal felt like he'd stumbled into an alternate universe.

 _"Erza!"_ A voice he thought he recognized called from a cluster of people surrounding a food card. Jellal saw Laxus's head before Mirajane's. As brightly as she smiled, Laxus frowned. He gazed longingly back at the vendor pulling freshly fried corndogs from a vat of oil. Mirajane's curious eyes flit from Erza to Jellal. "I was worried I'd never find you but it looks like that worked out just fine."

"Fernandes," Laxus muttered with a smirk. Erza's eyebrow quirked upward.

"Do you know each other?" she asked pointing between Laxus and Jellal.

"I only spend nine hours with the guy, five days a week." His eyes fell back over his shoulder, still mourning the loss of food.

"Oh, Laxus, you're ridiculous." Mirajane stuffed a wad of bills into her boyfriend's hand and pointed at the cart. "Go feed yourself." She smiled brightly at Erza again. "He's such a child sometimes, I swear."

"I second that," Jellal said. "You should put him in daycare, Mira."

"So how do you know Jellal, Erza? I wanted to introduce you today but Laxus insisted I mind my own business." She winked at Jellal and he felt the tips of his ears burn.

"He brought his cat into the clinic last week."

"Oh!" Mirajane laughed. "I heard about the cat. How's she doing, by the way?"

"Uh," Jellal found himself gripping Erza's hand a little tighter. "She's fine."

"Did you name her?"

"I did." He cleared his throat. "I decided to call her Fluffy."

"Fluffy?" Mirajane's eyes were smiling and she didn't even try to hold back her giggle.

"It's a nice name, Jellal." Erza squeezed his hand back. "And she _is_ very fluffy."

"What's so funny?" Laxus rejoined them with a corndog in each hand – he didn't look like he was about to share, either.

"It's nothing," Jellal insisted quickly. He was saved by the stage lights switching on and the strings of twinkling lights in the trees coming to life. Mirajane took Laxus's empty corndog stick and tossed it in a nearby garbage can.

"You're welcome to join us," she offered. "We came with my brother and sister, though, so we'll understand if you'd rather have your own space." Before Jellal or Erza could speak, Mirajane grabbed Laxus's hand and pulled him away.

"She's relentless," Jellal muttered.

"She has a big heart." Erza sighed. "Relentless isn't an inaccurate description, though. Since I've been back in town she's tried to set me up twice."

"Is it awful of me to say I'm glad none of that worked out?"

Erza laughed softly and pulled him away from the concessions crowd and toward an empty patch of grass under a tree too small for lights. "I can't say I'm sad about it."

The grass was thick and soft. Erza sat closer than he expected but he didn't mind. A screen behind the symphony rolled downward and the crowd's noise level dropped when the movie began. Somewhere in the middle Jellal's fingers found their way into Erza's hair and it was as soft as he'd hoped. She leaned into his side and didn't stop him.

Stars dotted the sky when the movie credits began to roll. She smiled up at him and even though he hadn't ever seen her outside of her place of work before that night, he was run down by the desire to kiss her.

"Walk me back to my car before the crowd?" her voice was light but even in the low light he could see the heaviness in her expression.

"Of course." Erza took his hand again and she didn't speak until they reached the arbor.

"Jellal –" She paused and tugged on a strand of her hair. "I like you. I know we kind of just met but I _like_ you."

"I feel a ' _but'_ coming on." He couldn't help the disappointment from settling, especially when she sighed.

"I work a _lot._ My job at the clinic is my first position with _real_ responsibility. I'm not working as a sidekick to another vet and it's kind of exciting."

Jellal pulled her to a stop. The arbor was still mostly empty but the exiting crowd wouldn't be too far behind. "Erza, listen, I had a nice time with you tonight and I like you too, but I completely understand job stuff. I've been stuck on a night shift with Laxus for way too long trying to get promoted. I get it."

"I'm not brushing you off, and unless _you're_ brushing _me_ off, I don't have a problem with your shift. I work nights now, too." She smiled when his eyebrows flew up. "The clinic is trying out a new twenty-four hour emergency service. I asked to be considered for the overnight position because I thought I could use the independent experience."

"That's pretty lucky," Jellal said, his smile returning.

"It _is_ pretty lucky." She glanced down the arbor trail. Sounds of voices were getting closer. "My car is this way." Erza's car was actually a black pickup truck that had seen better days. She ran her hand along the side of the bed and sighed. "I know I should get a new car but I guess I'm attached to this one."

"I kept all my PT's from the academy," he said, smiling. "Everyone has sentimental attachment to things."

Erza turned to him and touched the front of his shirt experimentally. He didn't stop her. "I'm really glad I found you tonight."

"I think it was _me_ who found _you."_

"Technicalities."

"I guess I should ask if you prefer lunch or breakfast." She quirked an eyebrow questioningly. "If I'm going to take you out, I have to know which is better for you."

"Breakfast is better," Erza said quietly, sliding her hand to his side and closing her fingers around the seam of his shirt. "Lunch is my last meal before work now. I'd hate to be against a deadline like that."

"When can I see you again?" he asked, giving in to the impulse of circling her waist with his arm. "I work for the next five days but I don't know if I want to wait that long."

"Tomorrow morning?" Her eyes were almost level with his now and he could smell the remnants of her body spray. "I don't want to wait five days, either."

Erza head tilted right and Jellal tilted left. His heart raced but the kiss – he couldn't let it rush by. She invaded every bit of the space he reserved only for himself and he didn't once consider stopping her.

* * *

He pulled her scrub top over her head and tossed it aside. She all but tore the buttons on the front of his uniform shirt to get it off. It would've been nice to savor the moment but he'd just come off a frustrating shift and Erza's texts indicated she'd had a similar night. She toed off her sneakers and tugged on his belt buckle.

"Do you have to wear these boots?" she whined. "They're in my way."

"Sorry," Jellal breathed between kisses. "It's regulation." Her camisole and his undershirt joined the growing pile of clothes near the front door. Erza never wore the lacy bras on nights she worked but Jellal couldn't have possibly cared less.

"I forgot the leftovers from breakfast in the car," Erza breathed, not making an effort to do anything other than figure out his belt.

"I don't care about the leftovers." Jellal pulled the bowstring holding her scrub pants up and pushed them down around her hips. She stepped out of them and finally released the belt buckle. His boots prevented him from shedding the pants completely but he didn't need to. Erza yanked at the waistband of his underpants and he pulled off her panties.

In a breath that lasted much too long, Jellal had her against the front door of his apartment. The lights were still off but the morning sun filtered through the vertical blinds covering his patio door. Erza's arms wrapped around his neck and her thighs – that were much more solid than he'd originally anticipated – secured him against her. There was no room between them to manage anything but a smooth entrance

"Oh," she said on the inhale and, _"Fuck,"_ she breathed on the exhale. Erza's fingernails raked over his scalp and he shivered excitedly. His mouth found her neck and he pulled out just enough to rush back in. She wasn't quiet and he loved it.

Jellal grasped her thigh and grinned. He'd discovered that Erza had a hair trigger and didn't care for marathon sex. She was good for short bursts knew exactly how to ask for what she wanted. He'd never had such a self-aware lover before and, truth be told, long sessions were overrated. She took his lips fiercely and clenched around him. Two more thrusts and he felt like collapsing on the floor.

Erza eased her legs from around his waist and he nearly stumbled when he tried to step back.

"Your pants," she teased. "We never got them off."

"I forgot," he breathed, bracing himself on one hand against the wall. Erza slid down and pulled his pants back up around his waist and stepped into her retrieved panties. "Will you stay?"

She smiled up at him and leaned up to plant a quick kiss on his lips. "I'll stay."

Fluffy was curled into a ball in the middle of his bed and eyed them both suspiciously. Jellal sat on the edge of the mattress and unlaced his boots. He said nothing when Erza plucked a clean t-shirt from a folded pile on his dresser. She discarded her sports bra and pulled she shirt over her head. Fluffy showed no interest in moving.

"Do you think she's offended I'm invading her space?" Erza asked quietly.

"She'll get over it," Jellal said kicking his boots aside and tossing the pants into his closet. Fluffy didn't move until he pulled back the blankets. Another thing about Erza he loved was how easily she fell into physical affection. She'd never stayed at his apartment before and he'd never slept at hers, but she slid through the sheets as if they'd been sharing a bed for years.


	68. More Than My Whole Life

_**"Anonymous asked: Could I request a princess/knight au, in which Jellal had the habit of giving Erza "unauthroized" late night visits?"**_

 _ **So yeah this is a princess/knight-ish story but there's some elements of it that may require suspension of belief. The language is somewhat dated and formal but kevlar and firearms exist.**_

* * *

 **More Than My Whole Life**

* * *

The braids were a nod to her mother, of course, but Erza was in far too petty a mood to have only _one_ reason – perhaps another nod to her mother. She knew he'd hate them and that was just fine because she _wanted_ him to hate them. He'd been gone for nearly a fortnight on some ridiculous royal nonsense and as such he should be punished. Erza knew better than to _truly_ blame him – as the First General of the _Secretum Oficii_ he answered to the queen alone and carried out her official, and sometimes personal, business with the utmost secrecy – but she still _wanted_ to blame him. And would.

Erza's fingers tucked the last strands of her hair into the complicated twist of braids and stood. Her hands ran downward over the corset that had been made especially for her. The silk was a deep crimson and covered by a complex Bedfordshire lace design of the darkest black. Curls of clothtrail had been embroidered over with a shockingly scarlet thread. The skirt wasn't much more than a gauzy wrap about her hips. She didn't bother with anything else.

A breeze ruffled the drapes at the edges of her window and the faint sound of the vine leaves whipping against the brick outside pricked her ears. Erza's hand dipped quickly into the top right vanity drawer. Her blood red lips twitched into a smirk as she slipped behind the drapes that brushed the floor.

She saw his gloved hands first before he leapt soundlessly over the edge of the open window into a crouch on the floor. He'd barely stood to his full height before the metal of her knife glinted in the candlelight. Erza pressed the blade against his neck just shy of drawing blood.

"You're late," she whispered hotly in his ear.

"I came as soon as time permitted, your Royal Highness." His voice was strained and Erza enjoyed his care of her knife against his neck.

"I don't believe you." She dropped the knife to the place on his hip where his body armor had a small gap – a bit of information not well known to anyone outside of an intimate space with a member of the _Secretum Oficii._ Erza poked the tip of her blade through the small gap. "I should gut you here and now."

"To think my blood should spill on your skin would be an honor, Your Highness." The tone was unexpectedly reverent and Erza faltered. In that fraction of a second, he spun on her and took her wrist in an iron grip. She felt the cold brick against her arms as he lifted them and towered over her. "But I don't think that's going to happen today."

"Your arrogance is unbecoming. Release me at once." Her words came out less forceful than intended, so she resulted to physical violence. Erza's knee swiftly shot up – only to be caught with his free hand. The leather of his glove was warm against her thigh. The First General wasted no time in sliding past the thin fabric at her hip.

"You must release _me_ first, Your Highness. My heart and body have long been in your possession." He held her thigh at his waist and leaned in so that his nose brushed hers. "Am I free, Princess?"

"How dare you employ seduction against _me!_ " she huffed, her eyes falling to his lips.

"Are you offended it is you against the wall and not me at the end of your blade?" He grinned and brought his body further against hers. "The very same blade I put in your hand when we were children? _I'm_ the offended party, Princess."

He released her and stepped backward into the low light of her bedroom. Erza caught her breath before stepping from the shadows herself. On the cusp of forgiving him for the crime of leaving her for so long, she instead felt a surge of wickedness when his eyes lit on her hair.

"Does your cruelty know no ends?" He grinned and rested lightly on the edge of her bed. "I suppose I should expect as much from the daughter of the Queen."

"You very well should." Erza left the knife on the surface of her vanity and crossed the room to stand between his feet. "I look forward to your struggle in untangling them."

"Perhaps I should shave it all off with your own blade? Your vanity is appalling."

"You wouldn't. I think that would upset _you_ more than _me."_ His gloved hand rose to touch one of the braids but she caught his wrist. Erza met his eyes and peeled the glove off one finger at a time. "I would have your skin on mine, First General."

The pads of his fingers brushed over her cheeks first before touching the coils of braids. Erza brought her knee around his hip and balanced against the mattress. She took his other hand and let the second glove fall to the floor. Without breaking from his eyes, she pulled his cloak loose and ran her fingers over his still covered chest before wrapping her arms around his neck. He secured her against him but his hands didn't venture below the corset. One finger traced the embroidered clothtrail thoughtfully.

"Are your thoughts wandering?" she asked with more trepidation than she'd like. He smiled and the lines of the tattoo that had been on his face for as long as Erza could remember, crinkled.

"When I'm away from the palace, my thoughts are ever wandering but not tonight. They have nowhere else to hunger for when I'm with you." He first kissed her with the kind of sweet devotion one expected from the blossoming love of youth – but his second kiss stirred the fire in her soul. She rose on one foot and her knee slid further onto the mattress. Erza marveled – as always – at how he fit so impossibly perfect between her legs. Perhaps they'd been formed in the womb with one another in mind.

"Were you in danger?" she breathed when his mouth dropped first to her shoulder.

"I'm always in danger." He sucked lightly on the skin of her neck and Erza shivered.

"My mother should –" Without warning he pulled back and his green eyes pierced hers.

"Use me at her convenience? There are places only I can go and missives only I can deliver. I am her willing servant."

"But –"

"This is our dance, _Princess_." His ever so light emphasis on her title stung her eyes. "Easy is a luxury those in our stations do not have."

"She knows," Erza whispered. He smiled.

"Of course she does, love. She knew long before I ever had the audacity to enter through the window." Erza pursed her lips and inched her fingers under the body armor at his waist. She wanted it off. He obliged her and pulled the black turtleneck over his head before tearing the thick velcro straps from his shoulders. Once free of the kevlar, Erza pressed herself against him once more. The swell of her breasts spilled over the bust of her corset.

"What if –" The First General pressed his thumb to her lips and swiped the ruined lipstick away.

"What if, why not, how come... we could pose these questions forever." He kissed her softly and Erza's toes positively curled. "I would put your lips to better use."

Before she could even lose her balance he was behind her with firm hands on her bare shoulders. His fingers deftly tugged on the laces of her corset. As it fell from her body his hands curved around her ribs to cover her breasts.

"The world is what it is, Erza." Her eyes slid closed at the breath of her name on her neck. "Spending my nights with you is more than I have ever deserved. The Queen favors me and chooses not to have me executed for the crime of loving her daughter." The tips of his fingers tickled the sides of her neck before picking through the coils of braids. _"You_ are the most valuable thing to her. You are the reason the King has been cold in the ground since before you took your first step. She will let you keep me as long as you please."

She wasn't surprised at how quickly tangles of her hair whispered against her shoulders and back. The golden hairpins tinkled against the tiled floor.

"You aren't my plaything," Erza said quietly. He gathered the crimped mass of scarlet to one side and kissed her neck again. His lips found the shell of her ear.

"No?" he asked, his breath sending a shiver down her spine. "It is all I aspire to be."

When Erza's back hit the mattress he kissed her with bruising force. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she realized he'd – at some point – left his pants and boots behind. The First General had always distracted her so. She arched her back and he took the pink tip of her breast into his mouth. Erza grasped at the tufts of blue hair and pulled him to her lips. He exhaled against her mouth when he entered her and his fingers dug into her thigh.

Erza didn't give him time to catch his breath before shoving him to his back and perching on his hips. She moved in a slow rhythm taking in every flutter of his lashes and every twitch in his belly. The quilted pattern of her duvet would leave a mark on her knees but Erza was unconcerned.

He was a thorough but demanding lover. As quickly as she'd unseated him, he grabbed her waist and flipped her around, the last of her lipstick smeared on the duvet. His back was hot against hers and his fingers between her legs, unapologetically nimble. He dragged her over the terrible ledge of her desire in a moment that felt too swift for comfort. A hand planted in the mattress near her head and Erza craned to press a kiss to his wrist.

 _"Jellal,"_ she breathed, the air stirring the moisture on his wrist and sending a chill down his arm. Erza never said his name beyond the confines of her bedroom. She couldn't. One day, perhaps, but for now he would remain First General Fernandes of the _Secretum Oficii._

His body fell to the bed beside her and Erza shifted into his waiting arms. Just below his shoulder was a still-pink scar. She touched it lightly before pressing a kiss to the spot.

"Does it still hurt," she whispered.

"Not as much as the other outcome." His eyes fixated on hers with a humor Erza didn't think appropriate.

"I don't like to think about you dying." She clasped her fingers around his wrist when he cupped her cheek. His lips curled into an affectionate – but exhausted – grin.

"Then don't." He kissed her once before pulling her against his chest. She thought for sure she heard him whisper her name once more before, _"I love you more than my whole life."_


	69. Civic Duty

_**"Anonymous asked: Hacker AU"**_

 _ **This prompt was vaguer than I usually accept but at the time I gave myself too much credit in the creative department. If you want to know where the inspiration came from for this specific 'sex scandal' go google the Chandra Levy and Gary Condit mess. It's exactly as disgusting as you'd imagine. I've taken creative liberties and didn't do a ton of tech research.**_

* * *

 **Civic Duty**

* * *

She positioned her coffee cup as far away from her laptop as possible. Experience had taught her _that_ lesson the hard way. Erza bit into her croissant and instantly wished she'd went with chocolate instead of plain. She opened the network's front page while brushing pastry flakes from her shirt. The bolded headline nearly made her choke.

 _ **E.N.N. CEO HAS PRIVATE DINNER WITH SENIOR COUNCIL MEMBER.**_

 _With a fifteen hundred jewel bar tab citizens can rest assured their tax dollars are well spent on burying murdered intern sex scandal!_

Erza glanced around the newsroom before taking another bite of her breakfast to hide her smirk. The headline may be sensationalist but it wasn't exactly _untrue_. For the last week, the news manager had been under increasing pressure to make the reports of Gran Doma's affair with a recently found dead intern go away. For his part, the news manager resisted but if the CEO had been bought and paid for, the story would very likely get buried.

Private dinners and money changing hands couldn't bury the growing public dislike of Gran Doma and his brand of authority, though. He'd filled the Council with cronies and government agencies with family members. Erza found it to be the worst kind of nepotism. She didn't doubt he had the reach to have an intern who'd become a problem murdered without ever getting his hands dirty. So far, though, solid proof of both the affair and involvement with her death had remained elusive.

"Wow, Erza," Lucy said from behind her. "Looks like your hacker struck again."

"It's not _my_ hacker." Erza muttered, stuffing the rest of her croissant into her mouth.

"It's your thing, though," Lucy teased. "I'd love to know who he is. Got any leads for me?"

"There's no way of guessing who _they_ are, and no I don't. I just fix the site when it happens and that's all."

"Sure thing, Erza. You'd let me know if you knew anything, though, right?" Lucy leaned against the edge of Erza's desk. "You wouldn't give the lead to anyone else?"

Erza sighed. "Of course, Lucy. I'd give it _all_ to you over any one of these testosterone slinging idiots any day of the week."

"I'm just sick of the fluff pieces, you know? I want something _juicy."_

"Trust me, I get it. I'd love to stick it to all the mansplainers in IT, too."

"At least you were promoted out of _The Dungeon."_

Erza nodded as her eyes began to scroll through the lines of code. The hacker had been clever this time and her eye twitched. Lucy was still talking.

"Though, you were probably the only reason the bottom floor smelled like anything other than scorched coffee and Axe Body Spray." Erza half-laughed at Lucy's joke but her fingers were already clicking away. "Ooh, is that Makarov over there?"

Erza jolted and her eyes frantically swept the room. She didn't need the news manager over her shoulder – not that he could've _seen_ over her shoulder anyway.

"I'm kidding," Lucy said, nudging her shoulder. "You need to lighten up. You've been jumpy all week. Don't tell me this hacker is getting to you?"

"Not at all," Erza muttered, glancing around the newsroom again. "Listen, I have to go fix that snag in the office chat boxes. Want to have lunch together?"

"I'm meeting Natsu. He's got a nightshift this week and I won't see him as much. Maybe tomorrow?"

"I understand about the nightshift. Jellal's been on the ER graveyard for what feels a month." Erza stood and closed her laptop. She would leave it behind but definitely not open for prying eyes.

"I'll see you, then." Lucy smiled and wove her way through the maze of desks.

* * *

 _The Dungeon_ was a term used to describe the rooms of servers and Tetris-like layout of cubicles used by the IT department. Erza used to have one such cubicle until earning a promotion to the newsroom floor where she personally managed the layout of the _Era News Network's_ front page and oversaw bug reports that were sent to the IT group in _The Dungeon_. Most of the time her stress level was pretty low and that was mostly due to her new desk location. Despite her expertise and time with the network, certain male employees still failed to recognize her seniority.

Erza stopped next to Hibiki's cubical and he grinned up at her in a way that might have perhaps charmed someone who didn't know him as well. He was flirtatious in a mostly self-aware way.

"And what can I do for you today, Miss Scarlet?" Hibiki asked leaning back in his chair and linking his hands together.

"Can you handle the chat situation for me, please? It should be a simple fix, I just don't have the patience today."

"Sure, it would be my pleasure, ma'am." He suddenly sat up and grinned. "You've seen the front page, right? I bet they're having a shit fit upstairs."

"I fixed the CEO headline but he fucked with the code this time. I have to go through and –" Erza sighed and flicked the fringe of hair from her face. "Anyway. If you can handle that, I'd love it."

"No problem." Hibiki's phone chimed and he nodded subtly to the elevator. "Ichiya's on his way."

"Thanks, Hibiki. I owe you one." Erza navigated the cubicles – shooting a sharp eye at Ren who wasn't even trying to hide the game on his phone – and quickly slipped through the door leading to the stairs. Avoiding Ichiya would be the pinnacle of her day.

* * *

Erza kicked off her shoes and gave Pantherlily a pat on his furry head before shedding her skirt and shirt on a bee-line for the bed. The sheets were still rumpled and a light steam rolled from the cracked bathroom door. Just before closing her eyes, Erza saw Jellal's open laptop on the edge of the desk. She rolled her eyes and pulled a pillow over her head.

A slice of periwinkle blue blocked her view and the smell of his soap filled the room. Erza tossed the pillow vaguely in his direction before rolling over to her back.

"Aw come on," Jellal said softly. "It could've been worse."

"I suppose I should thank you," she sighed. "It got me out of spending my afternoon fixing a stupid chat bug." Jellal laughed and stretched out in the bed beside her. His clean scrub top was still folded on top of the chest of drawers and the sleeves of his white undershirt hugged his biceps.

 _"Anything_ but a chat bug," he joked, slapping hand over his heart. "The _horror!"_ His dimpled grin faded. "You're wasted in that office, Erza."

"I know," she whispered touching his cheek with her fingertips.

"Am I making it worse?"

"You're doing the public a service."

"Maybe it's selfish but I won't do it at the cost of your stress level or job." Jellal settled onto the sheets next to her and Erza rolled to face him. She leaned in to kiss the corner of his mouth softly.

"I'll survive. I look like a hero every time I fix it. As long as you use the backdoor I gave you, it's untraceable." Erza swiped the remnants of her lip balm from his cheek with her thumb. "I'm more worried about _you_ and your source." She ran her fingers through his damp hair. "Are you sure this is safe?"

"As safe as I can make it, Erza. He's a cop and if Gran Doma's tentacles are worming around in law enforcement as well as the private sector and media, we're all fucked."

"The sex scandal headline you put up this morning had over three thousand clicks before I took it down and the front page itself cracked ten."

"Good." Jellal's phone alarm shattered the quiet of the moment and Pantherlily perched on the edge of the mattress. He reached behind himself to grab the phone and silence the alarm. "I work until three this morning. I went shopping so there's plenty of stuff for dinner."

"Oh, thank you. I'm so tired I was prepared to eat dry cereal." Jellal laughed and leaned over to kiss her before standing and pulling on his scrub top. She blew him one last kiss as he gave Pantherlily a goodbye scratch behind the ears. Once the front door of their apartment shut and she heard the deadbolt latch, she pulled the cat onto her chest. He settled into a bun and purred loudly.

* * *

Erza woke to a gentle shake of her shoulder. Jellal plugged what looked like a flash drive into his laptop. She sat up and ran a hand through her hair.

"What's –" her words were cut off by a yawn. "What's going on?"

"This is a bunch of raw files from the EPD server. My source left it for me. You're going to want to have a look at this." Jellal slid his laptop over to her. Erza's eyes widened as she flipped through the document previews.

 _"Wow,"_ she muttered. "This is – this is pretty damning."

"Erza we're looking at original documentation of the body and the autopsy. This is ugly."

"It looks like I'll have a story for Lucy after all." Erza reached for her phone. Hopefully Lucy would be awake and ready for a bombshell.


	70. A Slip of the Tongue

_**"Anonymous asked: Person A of your (BR)OTP has a very important job. Nearly everyone - even people who have worked together with A for years, and some friends they know out of work - calls them by their last name. Now imagine B accidentally calling A by their first name in front of a lot of people, leading to incessant rumours that they are in an intimate relationship… How do they handle this?"**_

 _ **Oh hey present tense again. Lol why.**_

* * *

 **A Slip of the Tongue**

* * *

 _'Hey, Fernandes, you comin' out for drinks tonight?'_

 _'Mister Fernandes, have you gotten around to grading our tests yet?'_

 _'Mister Fernandes, you're late with your attendance slips again. The office can't keep proper records if you continue to do this.'_

 _'Oh, hi, Mister Fernandes, what a coincidence running into you like this! You were my teacher three years ago, do you remember? Maybe we could have coffee sometime... if you're interested? I'm in college now!'_

 _'Fernandes! That asshole cat of yours was picking on my dog again! If I catch him on my fence again –"_

It is such a common thing for him to be referred to by his last name, he often wonders if he's forgotten the other. This is why his universe positively freezes when he hears it.

"Jellal?" her voice isn't loud but whooshes through his ears all the same. Her hand is light on his elbow and when he turns, it's as if all his blocks come tumbling down in an utterly chaotic way. He smiles as foolishly as only she can make him.

"Erza." He is just as quiet as her. "I didn't know you were teaching here too!" Her cheeks flush and she tucks a strand of the scarlet hair he's _always always always_ loved behind one ear.

"Yeah, it's my first year. There was an opening and I decided I missed –" She pauses and glances down at her hands that are clutching a water bottle. "I just thought it was time to come back home."

Their minutes are up because the staff meeting is starting. He takes a seat next to her and it is all he can do not to stretch his arm across the back of her chair and idly twist bands of red around his fingers.

* * *

He takes her for coffee that leads to a walk in the park where her fingers slide through his. _That_ leads to her inviting him to her new place where he trails behind her like a lost puppy as she weaves through the stacks of boxes. _And that_ leads to her hair spread out over her pillows and tumbling over the edge of her half-made bed.

The dominos don't stop falling until a shaking breath puffs against his neck and she touches his cheek. Her lips still taste like peppermint lip balm and he kisses her until his arms can't hold his weight anymore.

* * *

Jellal doesn't see her often during school hours because he is buried in the science wing and Erza's domain is the row of classrooms down the hall from the library. When they do happen to cross paths, she calls him _Mister Fernandes_ and the way she says it always makes him smile.

He has always been a terrible faker and tries his best to leave any traces of flirtation when he speaks to her but the way their students stare is sometimes unnerving. Sometimes he wonders how much he truly cares about it.

* * *

Rumors don't start until just before winter break. They are at a holiday staff party and he thinks maybe she's had too many cocktails. He is standing in a small group of fellow teachers when Erza appears at his side. She doesn't ever drink enough to be _sloppy_ but she takes his arm and smiles just a little too wide.

"Miss Scarlet should come too," one of the women says. "It'll be a great team building experience. If we get enough signatures, the district will pay for it."

Erza laughs softly and a fringe of hair slips from her updo. "Jellal hates camping. He's never been a nature guy."

Jellal's breath catches. Erza takes three beats too long and, instead of releasing his arm, she digs her fingers in. Their colleague's eyebrow quirks and there is a suspicious dimple in her cheek. No one says a word but it's really too late for backpedal.

* * *

When school resumes after winter break, Jellal starts taking his lunch periods in her classroom. It is obvious. It is overt. It is _unmistakable._


	71. A Lucky Reservation

_**"Anonymous asked: Person A works at a library. Person B is the quiet, bookish type, but they have a definite crush on A. Occasionally, they will attempt to flirt with A, to disastrous results, but at one point A leaves a sticky note on the inside cover of a book that B put on hold with their (A's) phone number on it. What happens next is up to you."**_

 _ **Apparently I have a really hard time writing in present tense and then switching back to past. Please forgive any tense errors for I know not what I do.**_

* * *

 **A Lucky Reservation**

* * *

Erza snapped the book shut, shoved it aside, and moved on to the next. Though her method of checking them in was efficient in movement, the bin wasn't quick to empty. The object of her distraction had seated himself at the far end of the row of tables. His eyes flit back and forth from the pages of his book to his laptop. After a while he reached up to stretch and run a hand through his perpetually messy hair. Erza sighed. Everything he did was pretty.

The computer beeped as she scanned the next book and Erza jumped. She glanced down at the book and back to the screen. Apparently, this particular edition had been placed on hold – by _him._ Her brain teetered between two choices. One one hand, she could let the system run its course. He'd get an email about the availability and pick it up at his leisure. Nothing would change and she'd continue to attempt to flirt with him in the most embarrassing of ways. The previous week she'd _meant_ imply she wanted him to come into the library more often and instead gave him a rundown of their late fee policy. He'd smiled politely and promised he'd always return his books on time.

 _Or..._ Erza could be brave. She tapped her finger on the spine of the book and, before she could change her mind, grabbed the stack of sticky notes from the desk. With a hand that shook a little more than she'd like, she scrawled her number across the bright pink slip of paper and stuck it to the inside of the cover. Erza hugged the book to her chest and strode across the library floor with a purpose. When she reached his table, her heart was beating painfully and her fingers dug into the spine and fore edge respectively. His gaze slid upward and she felt her face warm.

"Have you come to fine me?" he asked with a grin. "I was _so_ sure I still had a small window on that last one."

Erza blinked. "Uh –"

"That bad, huh?" He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I suppose you'll revoke my library privileges?"

 _"No!"_ she blurted and stepped forward into the back of the chair across from him. The top rail hit the edge of the table and Erza's cheeks burned. "I just –" She cleared her throat and loosened her grip on the book to place it on the table beside his others. "Here."

His eyebrow quirked and the dimple in his left cheek deepened. "Oh!" He pushed his laptop away and slid the book in front of him. "I really appreciate the table side service. I'll be sure to reserve books more often."

"I –" Erza's tongue felt glued to the roof of her mouth. How did she manage to be so impossibly _bad_ at flirting? "I mean, it's not –"

"I'm teasing you, Erza," he said easily, still smiling.

"How did you know my name?" She didn't remember giving it to him, not that she minded he knew it. He pointed to her chest.

"Your name tag." His lips spread wider and Erza wanted to fall through the floor. Like an idiot, she glanced down and saw the name tag she'd pinned to her sweater herself. _Of course._

"Right," she laughed awkwardly. "Enjoy your book –" Erza paused and bit her lip. She made another snap decision before she could back out of it. "Jellal."

His name came out with a soft edge of want she couldn't quite mask. When she turned and left him at the table, Erza could feel his eyes on her all the way back to the desk.

* * *

When her phone rang, Erza nearly spilled tea on her dinner – cake, it was always cake. The number was unfamiliar but the voice on the other end wasn't.

"Did you intentionally give me a book with your number in it or was it meant for someone else?" he asked with a lightness that sounded a little forced.

"There's no one else," she replied.

"I was worried there for a second." He laughed and Erza pictured his smile and the dimple she loved so much.

"Don't be." Her voice took on the same same tone as it had earlier that day and, though she was alone, Erza blushed.

"When can I see you, Erza?" He paused and her breath caught in a delightful in-between place. "I should've said something to you sooner but you were working and –"

"Now is fine!"

"Now?"

"Um," Erza floundered. She was already in her pajamas. _Now?_ "Yeah, why not? I mean – later is fine too, of course. You know, whenever."

"Meet me at the restaurant across from the park on Fifth. You know the one?"

"Okay." He ended the call abruptly and Erza was left staring at the face of her phone. She wasted too much time handling her still-hot tea kettle and forgot to actually dress for a date. In the end, she stuffed her feet quickly into her snow boots and grabbed a coat before dashing out the door.

* * *

The restaurant on Fifth was a twenty-four hour pancake house. Erza tapped her foot nervously on the edge of the curb to knock the show off her boots before heading inside. Right away she realized her one slice of cake would _not_ keep her stomach from growling in the face of breakfast food aromas. From across the dining room she could see the university logo printed on the thigh of Jellal's sweat pants. At least she wouldn't feel underdressed in her pink plaid pajama pants.

"Hi," Erza said, sliding into the booth across from him.

"You made it!" Did his smile need to be so disarming?

"I didn't mean to blurt out that tonight was fine." Her lips curled into an embarrassed grin and she felt the blush from earlier creep up her neck. "You could've said no."

"I didn't want to say no."

A waitress appeared and, feeling emboldened by Jellal's order of a full meal, Erza ordered a stack of pancakes with fruit and whipped cream.

"So you're into sweet stuff, then?" he asked, watching her add four sugar packets and creamer to her cup of coffee.

"It's a weakness. I try to keep it under control but when I'm – well, when I'm nervous, I tend to over do it."

"Do I make you nervous?" His dimple appeared in his left cheek and Erza filled her mouth with hot coffee. "Not _too_ nervous I hope?"

"No, it's exactly the right amount of nervous."

* * *

The streetlights filled the avenue with a warm winter glow when they exited the restaurant. Without any fanfare – besides the racing of her heart – Jellal took her hand and pulled it into his pocket. His fingers slid through hers and Erza pressed herself into his side. The air was colder than before and the snow still piled slowly. His coat wasn't as thick as hers and Erza knew he couldn't last too much longer.

"I'm glad you called," she said quietly.

"I'm glad you were impatient." He smiled down at her and Erza stopped caring about about the blush on her cheeks. "Do you live far from here?"

"No, just up there. The building with the grey brick. You?"

"Just around the corner. Iron rails out front."

"The one with all the weird shrubs? I didn't know you lived so close."

"It's meant to be, I guess." He stopped in front of her building and squeezed her hand in his pocket. "When can I see you again?"

"Tomorrow? This weekend?" Erza smiled and couldn't bring herself to retrieve her hand or hold her tongue. "Every day?"

"I'm okay with every day." His eyes fell to her lips and, impulsively, Erza rose on her toes to kiss him. His hand that wasn't in hers, touched her cheek and then her neck. The tips of his fingers caught in her hair as he returned her kiss and sighed airily. "You taste like syrup."

"You taste like bacon." Erza smiled and kissed him again softly. "You're shivering."

"I'll live." He tilted his head and caught her in another kiss. Erza's lips parted and she suddenly couldn't feel anything at all but Jellal's mouth. A gust of frigid wind righted her senses. She pulled back.

"You won't if you don't get home and warm." Erza pulled their hands from his pocket and kissed his fingers. "Call me tomorrow."

* * *

Jellal called her the next day and the next day after that. She was most happy when he didn't have to call anymore because she woke with him already beside her.


	72. Lady Science

_**"Anonymous asked: Person A gently kisses Person B on the head and telling them it's time to get Person B doesn't respond, Person A trails kisses from their lips down to just below their navel, and leaves Person B incredibly horny the rest of the morning."**_

 _ **Is Erza the tease? Or is it me? I don't think either of us are sorry.**_

* * *

 _ **Lady Science**_

* * *

Erza ran her hands through her flawlessly blowdried hair. She liked to make a good impression on the first day of classes – not that she cared what just-out-of-bed freshmen thought of her appearance – but there was a certain department head she liked to snag the eye of in the cafeteria. Nothing but a perfect blow out would do.

On her way back to the bedroom, she tossed the towel in the hamper and scowled at the pile of blankets in the center of the bed that hadn't moved since she'd shut off the alarm. Erza tugged on the edge of the sheet and was met with resistance.

"Get up, Jellal, you don't have time to sleep in this morning." Erza adjusted herself in a brand new bra and stepped into a matching pair of panties. She glanced over her shoulder to see he still hadn't moved. _"Jellal!"_

"Mm... working on it," said the muffled voice under the blankets. As loathe as she was to risk crimping her hair, Erza pulled it over her shoulder and sighed. She slid back under the covers in search of her lazy boyfriend. His hands found her immediately and brought her into his chest.

"I knew you were awake," she said in a low voice. "You need to get up."

"Do I really, though?" he protested. Erza kissed his rough jaw and slid one leg over his hips.

"You do," she whispered. Her lips left kisses on his neck, chest, and the scar on his ribs left over from an unfortunate childhood tangle involving an angry goat and barbed wire fence. Just before she hooked her fingers into the waistband of his boxer shorts she kissed the indent of muscle just below his navel.

Erza tossed the blanket to the side and when his hand went for her hair, she grabbed his wrist and sat up. She settled over the bulge in his boxers and smoothed her hair. Jellal's eyes popped open and he frowned.

"That's it?"

"You don't have time for anything else." Erza laughed softly and slid off him. "You should've gotten up and showered with me." She pulled on her favorite black pencil skirt and buttoned up a lavender purple blouse. Jellal pouted from the bed as she completed her first day of school look with a pair of black heels – not the kitten heels, no, Erza went for the stilettos. She dressed to impress.

"That's _really_ it? You're going to leave me like this?" His pouting frown turned decidedly sad when her hair fell in a curtain over her shoulder as she leaned down to kiss him goodbye.

"Get dressed, Jellal. You missed the boat." On her way out of the house she grabbed her own lunch, left Jellal's lunch on the counter even though she knew he'd probably forget it anyway and have a meal of granola bars, and refilled the cat's water dish.

The sun shone brightly and the early autumn breeze ruffled her hair. There's no way the object of her affection, and the reason for her vanity, wouldn't _truly_ appreciate the effort.

 _Perfect._

* * *

She didn't mind teaching the younger crowd fresh out of high school and without a clue as to how _anything_ worked. In truth, Erza loved teaching and the university level gave her a lot more breathing room than grade school. She'd taken to bringing her own lunch the year before. Elaborate bento boxes were a new hobby.

He sat near the row of windows at the back of the cafeteria. His hair looked positively frightful and his shirt had a wrinkle down the back. It might've bothered her if she wasn't already used to it. Kagura, bless her, waited at the opposite end of the row of windows. Erza stopped for a water bottle and breezed past the small crowd of female grad students always hovering in his perimeter – he didn't ever seem to notice them but _she_ did.

The moment his eyes lifted to watch her walk right on by, Erza felt it. They'd been watching her long enough. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and didn't stop as she passed. Kagura smirked but didn't glance up from her phone.

"Was that two hundred dollar blowdryer worth it?" she asked dryly.

"Every penny."

"I don't know why you bothered. He'd watch you take out the trash and love it."

Erza cracked the seal on her water bottle and admired the organized perfection of her bento box. "Because I _can."_

* * *

When the front door shut, Erza grinned and settled back into her pillows. She heard him shuffling around in the kitchen and when he finally made it back to their bedroom, he frowned at the hair she'd already twisted into a bun and yanked off his tie.

"You're a tease, Erza."

"Am I?" she asked casually, flipping a page in her book.

"You _know_ you are. First you teased me in bed this morning –"

"You should've gotten up," she interrupted lightly.

"And _then_ you stroll _past_ me at lunch without so much as a glance!" He shucked off his dress shirt and fumbled his belt buckle. Erza grinned up at him innocently.

"Should I have flirted with you in front of all your adoring fans?"

"They're _students."_

"If you say so." She went back to her book, fighting back a laugh. Jellal crawled across the bed and snatched her book away.

"I _do_ say so." He kissed her neck and settled between her thighs. "I really like this bra, by the way. Too bad it's about to be on the floor."

"This bra deserves better than the floor," she protested even as she allowed his hands to sneak behind her back and unhook it.

"Maybe I deserved to have lunch in peace without you flaunting your hair and that fucking skirt. You almost killed me."

 _"That_ would've been a shame," Erza said with a sigh, letting her knees fall apart.

"Sometimes I think you _want_ me to have a heart attack." His lips brushed the underside of her breasts before kissing between them.

"I have to keep your attention somehow."

"Erza, I've told you before, those students –" Erza cut him off with a laugh.

"I'm not worried about your fanclub, Jellal, I'm talking about the mistress who holds your leash." His fingers worked under the waistband of her panties and tugged downward.

"And who's that?" he asked, hitching her leg around his hip.

"Lady _Science."_


	73. Un-breakup

_**"Anonymous asked: we promised to stay friends but we're doing the same stuff we did when we were a couple and i don't wanna point it out because i don't want it to stop"**_

 _ **Ah, present tense. Here we are again, old friend.**_

* * *

 **Un-breakup**

* * *

On Monday evening she drops his mail on the kitchen table along with his dinner. Her fingers catch in his hair and he would purr like a cat if he could. She is in his apartment for less than ten minutes and tidies the clutter that comes with having a brain that never stops.

"Don't forget to eat," she says and shuts the front door behind her. He wishes she would stay.

* * *

Tuesday it rains and she texts to remind him not to forget his umbrella. He _almost_ forgets anyway.

* * *

Their favorite TV show airs on Wednesdays and when she doesn't show up, he climbs the two flights to her apartment. She answers the door wrapped in a duvet and clutching a wad of tissues. Her nose is red and her hair is a mess.

He makes her tea and before the show is over, she's asleep on his shoulder.

* * *

She kisses him first. The rain splatters against his bedroom windows and his hands have never touched anything so perfect and familiar as her hips. They fall into his bed and he is inside of her as if he had every reason to be there. She sighs against his mouth and doesn't close her eyes.

His pillows and sheets will smell like her in the morning. He can't remember why they broke up.

* * *

Saturday night she has a date. He spends the evening _'working'_ on the window seat that faces the street. She returns alone and he almost misses the glance upward.

* * *

He makes conchas on Sundays. Every week his apartment smells of cinnamon and orange peel. She is still in her pajamas when she lets herself in and helps him knead the dough. He doesn't mention her date. Or the fact that she'd been in his bed the night before it.

She doesn't say anything until he closes the oven door on the balls of dough.

"I don't like him," she murmurs. "He was too big and talked too much. I just wanted to leave the whole time."

* * *

It rains again on Monday. She brings him dinner and stays.

* * *

Tuesday night he helps her rearrange her apartment. She offers him money to buy the extended cables for her TV and router but he refuses. When he returns, she's ordered in food and they eat in the newly arranged living room.

He falls asleep on her couch and wakes with her on his chest.

* * *

On Wednesday afternoon a co-worker drops a hint about dinner. He tells her he's unavailable but doesn't know exactly how true that is.

That night red hair tangles in his fingers as they watch TV and he decides he is _definitely_ unavailable.

* * *

He telecommutes on Thursday and never bothers to dress. She shows up just before midnight and tells him he needs a haircut. He lets her do it – she's _always_ done it – because he doesn't trust anyone else.

This time he kisses her first and pulls her into the shower. She clings to him and he wonders when he'll have to let go.

* * *

"I hate this," she whispers on Friday morning. "But I don't want to stop. I don't know how to let go." She shoves her hair over her shoulder and gazes at him from across the pillows. "I don't think I want to."

"I miss you." He watches her cheeks flush against the white bed sheets. "You're two floors up and I miss you."

"How do we _un-_ breakup?"

"I don't know." He reaches across her waist and pulls her against him. He kisses her and it's like nothing has changed.


	74. Almost Predictable

_**"Soawksahm asked: How about Jellal and Erza's romantic plans get ruined by some unforeseen circumstance (extremely bad weather, bandits, a drought causing a shortage in strawberries etc)."**_

 _ **So this is pure fluff. Know what's not fluff, though? Chapter 535. Definitely not fluff.**_

* * *

 **Almost Predictable**

* * *

He is still getting used to having a home. Waking up in the same bed every morning disorients him. Sometimes he isn't sure which is more discombobulating – the fact that he sleeps in a regular bed _or_ the fact that he never wakes alone. It is a welcome change, however unusual.

Over the last few months he's learned how to function in a kitchen that is mostly stocked. Erza isn't particularly skilled in this area but he's picking it up quickly. Breakfast is his favorite. She prefers the sweet foods like syrupy pancakes and pastry dripping in fruit compote, his tastes lean toward the savory.

She sleeps in on Sundays. He suspects she was an early riser before he settled in, and during the week she is usually awake before him, but on Sundays she sleeps and sleeps. They aren't even married yet but he feels they've become predictable in the best possible way. She kisses his cheek when he brings her breakfast in bed and even though he'd be perfectly content with nothing but a plate of bacon he does _try_ and be reasonable. _Sometimes_ he'll branch out and have toast or egg.

On this particular Sunday morning, though, he's curious. Erza hasn't been herself lately. She's been moody and erratic. Her eating habits have changed. Friday afternoon she ate an entire sleeve of crackers – and nothing else – for lunch. Jellal isn't an ignorant man. He's been in close quarters with women for most of his adult life. He is _aware_ of biological patterns and cycles. Erza is _off._

He brings her the shortcakes anyway. She smiles but not as brightly as she might've a month or so ago. Erza's eaten only one of the shortcakes with strawberry compote when her face turns pale. She dashes from the bed and disappears into the bathroom. Jellal sighs and packs the strips of bacon into the folded crease of his toast and polishes it off before she returns. He sets aside the pastry and waits.

"I'm sorry," she whispers when she eases back into bed. "I ruined breakfast."

"You didn't ruin anything." He waits for her to relax before pulling her into his chest. "Erza –"

"I think I'm pregnant," she says quickly. Jellal smiles and presses a kiss to her forehead.

"I thought so." Erza exhales a long heavy breath. "Are you okay?"

"I am now that I've said it out loud." Her eyes prod his. "Are _you_ okay?"

"I'm great." Strands of her hair stick to her neck and he peels them free before pulling the scarlet mass up and away onto the pillow. "Whatever you need I'll get it for you. Even if it's crackers all day, every day."

"I think right now I just want to go back to sleep." Erza sighs and burrows deeper into the blankets and closer to him. He can't help but yawn and think that more sleep is a perfect plan.


	75. None So Blind

_**"Anonymous asked: Jellal and Erza meet again after the Tartaros arc except with him still being blind?"**_

 _ **I don't know that I've ever written something this long in present tense before. There are likely errors.**_

* * *

 **None So Blind**

* * *

The knock is lighter than she expects – and lower. Erza doesn't like to think on how well she knows her own front door or how often she analyzes a visitor's knock, but she's an expert. Lucy is always perfectly polite and never assuming. Natsu's knocks are fast and usually accompanied by a touch on the doorknob before he remembers it's _Erza's_ door and _not_ Lucy's. Wendy's hands are small and her knocks quiet. Jellal's are distinct. Not quite formal but never casual. He doesn't assume she'll let him in, though, she wishes he would. She wishes he'd stop knocking altogether. Jellal is _always_ welcome.

This knock is new and hesitant. Not low enough to be Wendy but not exactly Lucy either. Erza never uses the peep hole so when she pulls the door open she is surprised to find Meredy. She smiles but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. Meredy glances over her shoulder quickly and Erza can't help but follow her gaze. The figure waiting in the trees is easy to pick out.

"I'm sorry to disrupt your evening, Erza," Meredy says, pulling her attention once more. "But I have a bit of a situation."

"Situation?" Erza's eyes stray back into the trees and unease settles heavily in her stomach.

"He doesn't trust anyone else but you," she whispers, her expression falling completely.

"What is it?"

"I'll let him tell you about the why and how. I'm just presenting the _what._ He's blind. I don't know if it's permanent. He won't talk about it or what happened –" Meredy looked back again and her fingers twist in the flaps of her cloak. "Can you help him? Look after him a little until he's more comfortable?" Erza sighs and steps over the threshold. She shuts the front door behind her and slips her feet into a pair of sandals she reserves for lazy days when she only goes out to check her mail.

"Thank you for bringing him, Meredy," she says. "I'll handle it."

"I know how much he'll appreciate it," Meredy says under her breath as they approach the garden fence. As she turns to head down the road away from Magnolia, Erza waves and sucks in a breath.

"We'll see how much he appreciates it," she mutters to herself. Jellal is standing amid the drooping branches of a willow tree. His fingers brush between the leaves and though he's not quite facing her, Erza can see his lips twitch into a small grin. "Oh, Jellal," Erza says with a dramatic sigh. "I feel like every time we meet, one of us is damaged."

"Maybe it's just our way." He turns toward her voice but it's not quite right. Erza steps to the side and takes a hold of his wrist. Jellal's eyes are covered with a bandage and she frowns. "It looks worse than it is."

"How do you know how it looks?" She smiles when he laughs softly.

"Because Meredy feels the need to remind me everyday that I look _just fine_ so I assume there's something shocking."

"It's not shocking." Erza's hand slides down into his and she tugs lightly. "Come on. If I'm to take care of you properly I can't have you brooding beneath the willows." Despite the bandages over his eyes, Jellal turns his face toward the sky.

"Will it rain soon? I can smell it."

"I think so. There's clouds on the horizon." Erza leads him across the dirt road and beyond the garden fence. "There's a step up. Be careful." When they're inside the house, she turns to him and lifts his hand to the hooks lining the front hallway. "You can leave your cloak and boots here. Do you need help?"

"No, I can handle my clothes." His cloak hangs crookedly and his shoes are half out into the walkway but she doesn't correct him. Instead, she takes his hand again and leads him into the kitchen.

"Are you hungry? When did you last have something sustaining?" Erza pulls out a chair for him and positions him in front of it. He sits awkwardly but doesn't let go of her hand.

"Define sustaining."

"I'll take that as a confirmation you need something to eat." She leaves him at the table and only glances back at him to make sure he hasn't wandered off. She realizes too late that she doesn't have much in her kitchen except a roast Mirajane left her with the day before. If she intends to host Jellal for more than just this one day, she'll need to go shopping. For now, though, she serves him a plate of the roast and leaves him to eat on his own.

Erza sweeps through her house tidying even though she knows he won't see any of it. She stops in front of the hallway closet containing spare blankets and pillows. The dilemma makes her heart race. Should she put him up on the couch or...

If he's allowed to sleep alone in the living room and needs to get up in the middle of the night, he could hurt himself. However, if he's close by she can make sure he has everything he needs. Erza chews on her lip before closing the closet door empty handed. Having Jellal in her home for an undetermined amount of time was such a rarity that she can't stand to waste.

When she turns around, he's standing at the end of the hallway with one hand on the bookshelf. Erza startles and he smiles.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't. I just didn't hear you behind me. Did you have enough to eat?"

"I did, thank you, Erza. I hope it's okay that I came to find you." Though his eyes are covered, he still directs his face to the ground. "The layout of your house isn't a thing I'd forget easily. And It seems I've developed a stealth along with the blindness." She isn't sure he's joking until the dimple in his left cheek makes an appearance. Erza grins and takes his hand. Her impulse is to correct him. She considers the house _theirs –_ even if he doesn't live there yet _._

"I'll draw you a bath." Somewhere between the bookshelf and the bathroom, his fingers slide between hers. It is always this way with him. She turns around and he's there. No preamble. No warm up (she supposes there's been nearly two decades of warm up). He's just there making her heart pound and cheeks blush.

She switches on the water and gathers towels for him. Over her shoulder and out of the corner of her eye she sees him tracing his fingers over the various surfaces of the bathroom. The sink. The wall cabinet. The mirror, towel rack, and window sill. When he's mapped the room, his hand falls to her shoulder. His fingers brush the side of her neck and his expression is carefully blank. She can't tell if he misjudged the distance or if he intended to touch her so close to a sensitive spot.

Erza covers his fingers with hers and spins around so his arm circles her shoulders. She wants to help him out of his clothes. She wants to kiss him. She wants _him_ to kiss _her._ He might've if he weren't impaired – _injured?_ Jellal has a system of boundaries. He's trying to let her all the way in but sometimes he's not in the right place. Usually when he comes to her he's there. That's when he kisses her and touches her and stays in her bed. But the bandages over his eyes muddy her perception and gage. She won't push him. Blind or not, if he wants her, he will come.

She isn't a pushover, though. If he wants the couch instead, he should be _very_ sure of his mental map of her home.

Her fingers brush over the bandage where it touches the apple of his cheek. He doesn't turn from her but she won't assume.

"Do you want to take them off yourself?" she asks in a whisper.

"I think maybe –" He pauses and his fingertips move against her neck. They seek out the wispy hairs that have escaped her ponytail. "I don't want to be alone. I don't know what's happening under the bandages."

"Alright." Erza arranges his towels on the edge of the sink and positions him on the edge of the tub. She isn't sure what to do – medical treatment isn't her forte – so she washes her hands. When she turns back around, he's removed his shirt and his pants have been unfastened. If he were to stand, she is certain they'd fall. She hasn't been a virgin in a while, but she still blushes.

Jellal's face is still a blank slate and Erza steps between his knees to find the edge of the bandage. His hands tighten in the folds of her skirt that brush his knuckles. He hasn't displayed this kind of unease in a long time. With barely restrained impatience, Erza unravels the bandage. The tail end touches his shoulder and he flinches. His eyes are shaded by a swirling, dark film. She's so relieved she exhales a breathy laugh.

"Is it so bad?"

"No." She quickly kisses his forehead in reassurance. "Will you tell me how this happened?" Jellal sighs heavily and leans into her middle. His hands finally release her skirt and he wraps his arms around her waist.

"Maybe you can help me decide if I did the right thing or not."

"Maybe."

"I want to wash it all off me, though. I can't think straight." He sighs again when her fingers card through his hair. "I'm so tired."

"Have your bath and I'll get you some clean clothes. Then you can come to bed." She hesitates to give him room to object. He doesn't. "Please call if you need anything."

Jellal nods and Erza leaves him alone in the bathroom. She grabs the dirty bandages on her way out.

* * *

He doesn't call for her and when he appears in her doorway with his fingers lightly touching the frame, she smiles. Jellal's eyes are open and his lips are slightly parted. His eyebrows are dented and Erza keeps to herself how much she enjoys the expression on his face.

"You made it," she says, crawling across the bed and pulling the blankets back. He approaches slowly with his fingers splayed. There's no wall for him to follow here. Erza slides off the bed and takes his hand. "Do you feel better?"

"I do." She turns to get back in bed but he pulls her into his chest. "I'm sorry you have to nanny me." Erza can't contain her amusement any longer and she laughs out loud. She brings the palms of her hands to his cheeks and rises up on her toes to kiss him.

"I'm not nannying you. I'm looking after you while you're vulnerable." As much as she likes his arms around her, she knows he's tired. He doesn't sleep enough when he's out there roaming around. "Come to bed."

He doesn't speak again until the lights are out and her hair is slipping through his fingers.

"I did something," he whispers. "I don't know if it was right but it was important." Erza waits. She lets him take his time. Language is important to Jellal. She is fluent in his subtext. "Natsu said something to me once about freedom. He was right but I may have expressed it wrong."

"Can you give me a little more context?" Jellal is quiet but she can feel his fingers curling and twisting the strands of her hair.

"My guild is growing."

"Ah." Erza isn't unaware of these things. She has nothing better to do with her time now that she's not acting on behalf of a guild. "Do you respect them?"

"I do. I want them to understand that freedom doesn't mean tethers to the past or things they've been conditioned to do." The only sound in the room is the rain beginning to fall. His thumb brushes over the edge of her jaw and she catches his wrist in one hand. She leaves a kiss on the soft side. "I made my point the way Natsu often does."

"With your fists?" She laughs softly and his smile is a thing she feels inside of her.

"More or less."

"Is this how you were blinded?"

"Yes."

"Jellal –" Erza closes the gap between them and tucks her head under his chin. She fits against him perfectly. "I'm hardly one to judge making decisions with your fists but my advice is simple. Don't be the chains that bind them. I trust you. Meredy does too. Trust _them._ And trust yourself. You have a good heart but you aren't perfect. No one is."

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Say the right thing all the time?" Jellal yawns and the last of her hair falls from his fingers.

"I used to know a boy who always said the right thing to me when I needed to hear it. I don't think he knew how special he was. I keep hoping he'll remember." She pulls away and brushes a kiss over his lips.

"Maybe he's just a little rusty and is still working things out." His eyes close and Erza settles back into her place in his arms.

* * *

The morning brings more rain and thick clouds. As it turns out, Jellal's mapping skills extend beyond her house. He knows every curve of her body and his fingertips remember everything his eyes can't see.


	76. The Known Universe

_**"Anonymous asked: "The girl I find who wants to talk about quantum theory in a bar is the one I want to marry." - Brandon Boyd"**_

 _ **and**_

 _ **"Anonymous asked: Person A is a bartender and is an expert in judgment of character but meets his/her match in Person B."**_

 _ **I combined these two because they're similar and I felt like it.**_

* * *

 **The Known Universe**

* * *

Six nights a week he could be found behind the bar at _Witch's Crime._ It was his third bartender gig in the space of as many years. _Witch's Crime_ had a more subdued air than the others. Jellal wasn't a rowdy guy and he didn't care to wrangle rowdy drunks, either. He liked the quiet atmosphere that came along with a patronage who preferred to mind their own business. Tuesday nights were the slowest and it wasn't uncommon for him to keep a stack of textbooks at the far end of the bar to study during a lull.

Despite being an astrophysics major, Jellal considered himself an expert in reading people. Whether that came from his years behind a bar or his psychoanalyst father, he didn't know – scratch that, he _did_ know. His experience with the ladder told him as much. Regardless, though, the skill came in handy. His boss trusted him to close up alone more than one night a week.

When she stepped through the front doors, a flash of lightening illuminated her from behind. Her scarlet hair fell around her shoulders in wet ropes. Any other month but late May and she'd have needed a coat. As it was, though, she strode across the room in a black cocktail dress that sparkled with raindrops. One shoulder was bare and the other held up the gathered folds of fabric that began mid-thigh and ended in a glittering silver clip. She wore no jewelry but she didn't need it anyway. Jellal smirked at the ridiculousness of the scene. He felt like the stereotypical P.I. of a hardboil pulp about to meet his damsel in distress client – except this woman didn't look to be in distress. She looked _pissed._

"Scotch," she clipped, sliding onto a stool. "Neat."

Jellal said nothing as he filled her order. She didn't drink it right away and he went back to the end of the row to his books. Her eyes didn't leave him – he could feel her prodding gaze but in his experience it was best to let the talkers come to him. His sixth sense kicked in when her empty glass touched the napkin. She nodded and slid a black credit card across the bar.

"Just start a tab. It's been a tab kind of day." Jellal provided a fresh glass and napkin before taking the card for the machine. She watched him closely. "You aren't going to ask? Everyone in this part of town always asks."

"Ask what?" He bit back a grin.

"Oh, come on. I've been to three other places on this block alone tonight and everyone else has given me a wide berth and a side eye." She swallowed half of the scotch. "I think he brought me down here on purpose."

"You didn't look like you wanted to be asked anything." he glanced up at her and she deflated.

"I didn't." Her eyes fell to the glass in front of her and Jellal _nearly_ returned to his books.

"I don't need to ask anyway. It's obvious."

"What's obvious?" She leaned her chin on the heel of her hand. Though wet, her hair slid over the bare skin of her shoulder.

"You. Here." Jellal shrugged. "I'm not in the habit of asking patrons questions I already know the answers to."

"Humor me." Her expression was no longer irritated but simply dry, and he let the grin slide.

"It wasn't just one thing, to be honest, it's the whole picture. You walk in here with nothing but yourself, order a scotch – _neat_ – declare it to be a tab sort of evening, complain about a guy you're obviously pissed at, and then whip out a black Titanium AMEX from thin air." Her face blushed a bright red and he chuckled. "Plus there's the hair and you _do_ look exactly like her."

She finally smiled. "Are you like that guy on the detective show where everybody thinks he's psychic or what?"

"Nope." He leaned forward on the bar. "I'm just really observant." The joke wasn't lost on her and she laughed lightly. "Is there anything else I can get for you Miss Scarlet?"

"No," she said softly. "Thank you."

"It's my pleasure." He left her to her scotch and headed back down the bar to his books, though, the subject matter had lost most of its appeal.

Jellal wasn't often surprised but when she took a seat across from him and peered over his book at the text, he couldn't help his laugh.

"Quantum theory is heavy subject matter for a Tuesday evening. Are you a physics major?"

"Astrophysics. I'm just reading this for kicks." This time _she_ laughed. The sound was musical and addicting. She made his insides flip in interesting new ways. "What about you, Miss Scarlet? Padding your resume with fancy business degrees to sit on your mother's throne one day?" She smiled and ran a finger over the grain pattern of the bar.

"No, actually. Math is boring and so are business men."

"I beg to differ."

"You think business men are interesting?" she asked playfully.

"No, you're right about that. Math isn't boring when you look at it under the right lights." He watched her smirk in a humored disagreement and laughed. "You're skeptical."

"I believe it's not boring for _you."_ Her smile was genuine. "I need things to be a little more exciting."

"I'll have you know that theoretical astrophysics is a wild ride from start to finish."

"Is it?"

"Of course. Imagine an endless string of numerical models that have no solution, only theory." She blinked before breathing a laugh and finishing her scotch.

"You had me going for a second there."

"Mission accomplished," he said with a wink. She sat up straight and braced her hands on the bar.

"Well, I suppose I should get out of your hair. If I'm not mistaken this establishment closes at one."

"That it does." His heart sank and he realized he'd lost track of time.

"Thank you for improving my evening when you didn't have to."

"It was my pleasure, Miss Scarlet," he said softly.

"Just Erza, please." She raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"Just Jellal, then."

Erza brushed a strand of hair from her forehead and seemed reluctant to leave even after he returned the credit card to her. He never did learn where she'd been keeping the card and once she was gone he ticked up his normal speed for closing the bar.

* * *

The temperature outside was still balmy when he locked the front door thirty minutes later. When he turned around she stood in the moonlight near the corner. Her hair was no longer as wet and the light breeze picked up the dryer ends.

"You know –" He offered with mild hesitation. "I don't know that it's safe out here for even Eileen Belserion's daughter on the corner at half past one in the morning." She turned to him and grimaced.

"My driver is late. There's some kind of police action two streets over and I'd rather wait than walk." Erza paused and glanced down the street. "And I'm definitely not calling my earlier date."

"The one who brought you down here on purpose?"

"Simon likes trophies." She sighed. "My mom warned me but –"

"We don't like to take the same paths as our parents even if they're not exactly awful paths?" She smiled at his words and shifted on her feet.

"Yeah, something like that." He watched her chew on her lip before she opened her mouth to speak again. "Do you like trophies, Jellal?"

"I've never been a fan, to be honest." He pulled a set of keys from his pocket and pointed to the only car left on the far curb. "I can give you a ride where ever you want. Leaving you here for a stranded driver feels wrong."

"What if I didn't want to go home?" she asked just above a whisper.

"I wouldn't tell you no." She took his hand and, while he was distracted unlocking his car, she pulled a phone from whatever pocket universe her credit card existed in and texted her driver.

* * *

Her lips were on his the second his apartment door closed behind them. He filled his hands with all the soft parts of her and she gave with an openness he really didn't expect. Jellal found he enjoyed being surprised but later decided it wasn't the surprise itself that pleased him so much. It was _Erza._

"Did that count as sex on a first date?" she asked, settling into his pillows and heaving a satisfied sigh. She smiled as he pulled her against him and kissed her again and again.

"No," he whispered against her lips. "Technically you came on to me at work. Shameful, really."

"You liked it."

"I did." Jellal's hand strayed to the small of her back where the tips of her hair tickled his fingers. "We can have a first date tomorrow –" He paused and grinned. "Or today if you want to be technical. And if I like you, I'll bring you back home, and _then_ we can have sex on the first date."

"You're ridiculous, Jellal –" this time it was her turn to pause. "I didn't get your last name."

"Shame upon shame." He pressed a kiss to the bridge of her nose. "It's Fernandes." Erza blinked in surprise. He waited for her to connect the dots.

"Fernandes? As in _Doctor_ –"

"The very same." She grinned and inched closer, sliding her leg over his hip.

"No wonder you stick to the science side."

"Just trying to stick to my separate path." Erza sighed against his chest.

"I want breakfast for our first date." She giggled suddenly and inched up to look him in the eye. "And here I thought _I_ was the trophy."

"I'm offended you're objectifying me, Miss Scarlet."

"Should I just call you Doctor Fernandes?"

"Not if you want that first date sex." Erza laughed again and he thought in the space of one evening it had become his favorite sound in the known universe.


	77. Peripheral Romance

_**"Cheschire-kaat asked: Can I request a Jerza "Kissing Practice" modern AU?"**_

 _ **They are so easy to poke into kissing istg.**_

* * *

 **Peripheral Romance**

* * *

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this," Erza whispered as soon as they were alone. "It's my fault and now –"

"Erza, no." His hands closed around her wrists and pulled her palms from her face. "I'm here because I want to be."

"No, you're here because I said I couldn't do it alone and then you _volunteered_ to be my support and then everything got out of control and –"

"Okay," he cut her off. "Stop. Don't spiral. Did you hear any of what you just said? I _volunteered._ I wanted to support you and now I can." Jellal paused and smiled awkwardly. "Just not from the audience like we planned."

"This is horrible," she whispered.

"No, it's just unexpected. We have plenty of time to practice and I'll help you get the lines down."

"It's not the lines." Erza's voice was shockingly quiet. "You know that."

"Let's just focus on the lines first, okay? If you know your part then maybe – maybe –" He caught her terrified eyes and sighed. "You were ready to do this when I said I was going to be in the audience where you could see me."

"You're right. I was. This is _fine._ It's completely fine." She smiled and began to flip through the pages of the script.

* * *

"Do you think she can do it?" Lucy asked, taking a seat across from him. "You know how she is. I honestly thought she'd gotten over her theatre phase in high school."

"She'll be fine." Jellal directed all his attention to his laptop.

"Fine?" Lucy pressed incredulously.

"Yep."

"Do you even have time for this? Mid-terms are coming up _and_ you're working now –" She stopped when he pinned her with a glare. "Okay, okay. I just worry about you and all this stuff you take on."

"Erza isn't _stuff._ She wants to do this and I said I'd support here."

"Jellal –"

"Don't start, Lucy. We're just friends." He ignored the way she leaned forward in her chair as best he could but, like Erza, when Lucy had a point she wanted to make, she didn't back off. Ever.

"I have lots of _friends_ , Jellal. _Lots._ "

"So what?" He made the mistake of glancing up at her. The castigation rolling of her was real. Lucy finally sighed and stood.

"I think you know." She left him alone at the table and _annoyed._

* * *

"Okay, so, don't take this the wrong way, Erza. It's only a suggestion and you don't have to listen to me." Jellal set aside his script and approached her with his hands out placatingly.

"What is it?"

"This is a casual scene, and you're posing like you're delivering lines from _1776._ It's just not that serious." Erza deflated and he felt awful. "Just say them like you would at any other time."

"I don't know how to do that," she huffed.

"Sure you do. When it's just us you don't bloviate or hold yourself like that. Relax a little."

"You think I'm bloviating?"

"No! I mean, you kind of are but –" Erza clutched her script and sank down on the edge of his bed. Jellal sighed and took the roll of papers from her and set both packets aside. "Let's try the scene sitting, okay? It's just a conversation."

"Do you think we're in love?" she asked when he took a seat next to her. Jellal froze. "Our characters, I mean. Are they?" His thoughts wheeled in wild circles and he tried to recover as she went on. "I know we're on the periphery of the main story but it feels the most real to me."

"Uh, well, they are but –" Jellal slid backwards so he didn't fall forward off the bed. "There's a lot of things they don't say to each other and she thinks he has a fiancée. It's complicated."

"I think he should be honest with her about that. She knows he's lying anyway."

"She does." He turned to her and bent his knee on the surface of the bed. "This is all I meant, Erza. She doesn't boom at him or any of that. She doesn't have to. He knows her well enough to understand the subtext. It's not so much the dialog –" he trailed off and reached behind him for the script. His eyes scanned the page but he already knew it by heart. Erza grabbed his hand and pulled him back to his feet. Her eyes searched his in a way that left him feeling completely exposed.

"It's the way you look at me." For the first time since they'd been given the script she delivered the line naturally. "Maybe you think I don't notice but I do."

"I never meant for things to get this messy. I never meant –" the next line comes with an unexpected, trembling breath. "I never meant to wait for so long."

"It's not too late." Erza stepped against him and without a whole lot of thought, his hand pressed into the small of her back. He couldn't move beyond that. He needed – "Kiss me," she whispered.

 _Kiss me._ Her voice slid over him like something sticky and sweet. His gaze dropped to her lips and _yes_ he did want to kiss her very much. Erza gasped a little when he ducked his head and kissed her. He let the script fall to the floor so his fingers could brush over the curve of her neck and into her hair. She returned his kiss with a surprising enthusiasm. When he pulled back her eyes took a moment to flutter open.

 _"Wow,"_ she breathed. "That was –"

"– not in the script, I'm sorry." His apology was thin. He didn't mean it. The kiss in the script was a fleeting thing. It was a precursor to the main drama coming to a head but there was nothing fleeting about the way his heart thundered in his chest or the way Erza gazed up at him.

"Do it again," she said in a soft but commanding voice.

"For practice?" he asked with a grin. The expression faded slowly as he moved his fingers through her hair. "Is this scene the only reason you want me to kiss you?"

"No." Her admission came without hesitation. "I don't think we're as complicated as them, Jellal."

"We're not. We'll figure it out without all that other stuff." His thumb brushed over her bottom lip and her hands tightened in the front of his shirt.

"Kiss me before I die, Jellal."

"That's dramatic." He pressed his lips to the apples of both her cheeks before hovering over her mouth.

"You've known that about me."

"I have. It's one of my favorite things about you, Erza. When you get worked up and your eyebrows crinkle and you start bossing everyone around."

"Jellal," she interrupted. "I'm about to order you to kiss me."

When he kissed her this time it was more mindful and intentional. He moved slower and despite her brash words only seconds before her body bowed easily into him. She _fit._ Suddenly Erza stepped hack. Her cheeks were a bright pink and the loss of having her so close was jarring.

"I can't do this."

"What?" the question tripped out of his mouth.

"On stage," she said in a panicked whisper. "I can't kiss you on stage."

"Why?"

"Because! This is _new_ and _exciting_ and I can't do it in front of a bunch of people!" Erza's fingers twisted over each other and he sighed. Jellal had been fielding her anxiety since elementary school. Even though their relationship was changing now, he fell easily into the roll of prying her hands apart and covering them with his own.

"You're over thinking it. The script isn't _anything_ like what just happened. It's just a peck before the lights drop and the gun goes off. We'll be fine."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, I do." He grinned and wrapped her arms around his middle. "And if it helps I can kiss you all the time before then so it'll be old news by the time we're on stage."

"You're so selfless," she said dryly.

"I like to think so." Jellal kissed her until her lips were red and she gasped for breath.


	78. Half-drunk and Sunburned

_**"Anonymous asked: It's summer and I don't have any vacations so indulge me with some jerza frolicking on the beach and tropics pls..."**_

 _ **I know you asked for frolicking, dear anon, but here's some fucking.**_

* * *

 **Half-drunk and Sunburned**

* * *

On the first day he followed her around and participated in all the planned activities and meals. On the second day he started out on her heels but wound up in the cantina drinking Laxus under the table. On the morning of the third day he didn't even want to leave their suite. The private balcony caught the wind off the ocean perfectly and nothing appealed to him more than stretching out on the lounger – especially once he realized it had a canopy that would shield him from the sun.

The bottle of rum was only half-full when Erza returned an hour after lunch. She found him on his back in the canopy's shade. The pages of his book flipped in the breeze and her soft laugh drew him from a snooze. She took one look at his flushed face and lazy expression and set the abandoned book aside. He adjusted so she could join him.

"You're drunk." Erza kissed his cheek and then his shoulder.

"Only a little." Today she had on the white bikini and it was his favorite. "Did you have fun?"

"I did." She bit her lip and inched closer to him so her nose brushed his. "But I missed you." Jellal's hand slid over her hip. He grasped her thigh and hitched it around his hip. His lips found her neck and he tugged on the bow of her bikini bottom. "I think the private balcony was worth the extra money," she breathed, reaching for the buckle of his shorts.

"Mmm," was all he could manage. He was too distracted to worry about prying eyes. Erza's skin was warm from the sun and he left kisses over every part he could reach. Without warning she pushed him to his back and straddled his hips. The white bikini bottom hung loosely around her thigh.

"You're in no condition to seduce me, Jellal."

"Right," he breathed. He truly wasn't. Between the rum and the heat and the sun, he wasn't fit for the driver's seat – but it wasn't much of a loss because Erza could get them there on her own. She unbuttoned his shorts and leaned down to take his lips in a kiss as her fingers closed around him. Jellal's hands slid over her shoulders and to the expanse of her back. He found the clasp of her bikini top easily and he was reminded that there truly wasn't much better in this twisted world than her breasts pressed against his chest.

Of course, that might've been the rum talking. He didn't know.

Erza moved above him in the half-shaded sunlight and he thought maybe his whole life had been leading up to this point... _yes_ that was definitely the rum talking. He did have enough coordination to press his thumb to the spot just above where he entered her. She grabbed his wrist and slowed his pace. His name fell from her lips as she came and dragged him along with her.

His shorts were still awkwardly around his waist when she slid off him and fixed the zipper for him.

"Thanks," he said with a lazy grin. She let him pull her back against his chest and ran her fingers over the shape of the new guild mark on his shoulder blade.

"I think I prefer you half-drunk, sunburned, and docile, Jellal."

"Yeah?"

"You deserve the vacation." He gathered the remains of her bikini bottom and tossed them aside. His arm swung up and pulled the canopy down to it's full arc. If he was very lucky she would stay with him until the sun set. Then they could order room service and do it all over again.


	79. Rideshare

_**"Anonymous asked: Inspired by the latest inclusion of Jellal in the manga, can you do one where these two accidentally bumped into each other during a commute or some sorts?"**_

 _ **Meet-uglies are my favorite! Meet-cute is fine, too, but I love an awkward mess.**_

* * *

 **Rideshare**

* * *

The rain fell in sheets and Erza could hardly see the street from her spot under the small overhang outside of her apartment building. A yellow blur moved by at a crawl and she dashed out into the weather to try and stop the cab. The car rolled to a halt and just as Erza reached the curb a man appeared next to her. She hadn't seen him before and doubted he'd noticed her because the grey umbrella was pulled down low against his head. They reached for the door handle at the same time but he pulled it open first.

"Oh!" he said, jumping back in surprise. The umbrella caught in a gust of wind and hit the car door. His suit was wet immediately. Erza's pink scrub pants were becoming soaked but her rain coat shielded her from most of the downpour. "I'm so sorry! Please." He stepped back and gestured to the interior of the cab as he glanced around for shelter.

"No, it's fine," Erza offered. "You're already wet. I can't take the cab knowing you'll be stuck here."

"I –"

 _"Hey!"_ the cabbie's voice called roughly from inside the car. "I don't care if you share but make up your minds, would ya? No one wants a wet seat in a cab!"

"Right," the man breathed. "Share, then?"

"Yeah, okay." Erza quickly ducked inside the cab and pulled back the plastic hood of her rain coat. The bottom half of her pants were very wet but she wasn't nearly as drenched as the man next to her. He collapsed his umbrella and shut the door.

"Where to?" the cabbie asked. Erza's eyes slid to her co-passenger who grinned messily.

"I'm headed to the police department on Twenty-Fourth. It's a ways."

"Mary Immaculate Catholic School. It's only three blocks. Usually I walk but –" The cabbie interrupted them both by thrusting his phone with a credit card swiper over the seat.

"Ladies first," he grunted. "You're closest." Erza swiped her card and once the man did the same, the cab pulled out into the road.

"So," Erza began, trying to tidy her hair. "The police department? Are you turning yourself in?" she joked.

"No," he laughed. "I'm a detective. Normally I work out of the station on Eighth but I'm giving an IA statement today." He made an effort to tidy his own hair but wound up just sighing.

"I'm sorry you got so wet. I should've seen you coming."

"It's really fine. I shouldn't've had my umbrella down so low." He finally glanced her over. "Are you a teacher?"

"Nurse," she said with a smile. "I just moved here and started last month. I hope I don't get in trouble for being so late."

"Need a police escort?" He flashed the badge on his belt loop and Erza's cheeks warmed at the flirtatious tone.

"No, I don't think it's _that_ serious."

"My cousin's daughter goes to Mary Immaculate. Kindergarten, I think."

"Oh, so she's one of the little ones?"

"Yeah. Lucy isn't much on religion but our family's been tied to the church for decades."

"Old ties are hard to break." Erza glanced out the window when the cab pulled up on front of the brick and ivy building. Rain still pelted the ground and she pulled the hood back over her hair. "It was nice to meet you, Detective..."

"Fernandes," he supplied. "And it was my pleasure, Miss Scarlet."

"How did you –"

"Your name tag," he said with another smile.

"Oh, right. I –"

"Come on Nurse Red," the cabbie piped up. "I got to get the detective here down town. We all have bills to pay, yeah?"

"Sorry," Erza muttered. Her face was a bright red when she stepped from the cab and ran as fast as she could into the building.

* * *

"Hey, Lena, how are you feeling?" Erza knelt down to the girl's level and touched her forehead again. It was too warm for her liking. Lena's blonde hair was rumpled and she looked like she wanted to nap.

"Is my mama on her way?"

"The secretary couldn't get a hold of her so she called the next person on the list. They'll be here soon."

"Okay. Can I have something to drink?"

"Yeah, I'll get you a juice box. I'll be right back." The refrigerator in the clinic was stocked with medications, juice boxes, and apple sauce. Lena pressed the cool box to her cheek and Erza bit her lip. She hoped her ride would come soon otherwise the girl would absolutely fall asleep.

Erza helped Lena poke the straw through the foil hole and took the empty juice box when she noisily sucked the last of it down. Voices in the front office caught her attention and she felt her stomach twist when a man in a still-damp shirt strolled through the clinic door. His hair was a mess and his shirt sleeves had been rolled up above his elbows.

"Hey, Mini-lu," he said with a sad smile. "Not feeling well?"

"No," Lena whined pathetically. "Are you gonna take me home? Can we go to your place instead? I like your big TV."

"Yeah, you can come home with me for a while." He turned to Erza. "Looks like we meet again, Nurse Red."

"Did you make it to your meeting, alright?" she asked with a grin that simply could not be helped.

"I did." His hands slid into his pants pockets and he leaned against the counter that lined the opposite wall. "I admit I was hoping I'd run into you again and I wasn't at all sorry to leave work and come here."

"For the sake of Lena, of course," she said biting her lip, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, sure. _Of course."_

Lena sighed loudly and glanced back and forth between them both with a bored, frustrated expression. "Is this flirting? My mom has these books –"

Detective Fernandes laughed awkwardly and interrupted her. "Yeah, your mom is quite the reader, Mini-lu. You ready? Where's your backpack?"

"Miss Strauss in the front can take me to get it." Lena hopped off the bench and left them alone in the clinic.

"This is quite a coincidence," Erza said, tucking her hair behind one ear. "I'm glad to see you dried out at least."

"I think my suite jacket will need to be cleaned but I don't care too much about that." His eyes flit back toward the open door before he cleared his throat. "Listen, tell me if I'm off base, but maybe we could get a drink sometime? Or lunch? Or dinner..." he trailed off and cleared his throat again. Erza took mercy on him and laughed softly.

"A drink sounds nice." She grabbed a pen from the front pocket of her scrub top, pulled a sticky note from the stack on her desk, and scribbled her number across it. "I'm usually free in the evenings." He took the note and slid it into his pocket with a smile.

"I will make sure I have a free evening just for you, Nurse Red."

"I think Erza will do fine. Should I keep calling you Detective Fernandes?"

"It's Jellal, but I mean, if formalities are your thing I don't mind if you call me Detective."

Erza grinned. "You are something else. I don't quite know what to do with you."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out." A dimple appeared in his left cheek and Erza's reply was cut off by Lena re-entering the room.

"I'm ready, Uncle J." She stood directly in front of him and reached her arms upward. Jellal did not hesitate to lift her up so she could rest her head on his shoulder.

"Alright, Mini-lu, let's get out of here." He flashed Erza one last smile before turning to leave. "I'll call you later."

"I'll make sure to wait up." Once he'd gone, Erza covered her face with her hands. She wasn't normally such a flirt. Hopefully none of the Sisters had heard her shameless attempts. More than that, though, she hoped he would call.

Erza used a disinfectant wipe to clean the surface of the bed Lena had been resting on and tossed the empty juice box. As she took a seat at her desk to log the visit, her phone vibrated in her pocket.

 _'Don't forget about me before the day's out, Nurse Red.'_

Erza's face flushed pink. _'I don't think that's possible, Detective.'_


	80. Winner Takes All

_**"Anonymous asked: Jellal and Erza are both masters of their respective form of martial arts. They have a spar/fight/match where the winner gets to demand anything from the loser. All bets and gloves are off. Smut please? . ;) PS. Fall of Mercutio was amaaaaazing."**_

 _ **I'm predictable! What's the point of winning if you can't demand sexytimes?**_

* * *

 **Winner Takes All**

* * *

Jellal stripped off his gear and left the tangle of pads and belts on the floor in front of his locker. The shower was refreshing and he took his time washing away all the sweat and defeat. He hoped that if he gave Erza enough space she'd get past the petty things she normally demanded when she won a match and move straight to what he considered the _dessert –_ also known as _bed favors_. Jellal would still fold all the towels into the edgeless squares she favored and wash all the sheets and pillows, of course. He was a _helpful_ boyfriend. Domestic where it counted and all that. But he didn't want her to waste her win on something as trivial as fitted sheets.

The house was quiet when he walked through the garage door. She'd left him a warm plate in the oven and he ate his evening meal over the sink. Jellal started the dishwasher before dumping his dirty practice clothes into the hampers. Their bedroom was at the back of the house facing the small fenced yard. A fan of yellow light spilled from the cracked door.

Erza was stretched across their bed on her stomach. She grinned at him when he walked through the door and headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth. When he finally joined her on the bed she sat up and pushed him down to the mattress. Her weight settled over his hips but he didn't touch her.

"You almost had me today," she said softly, pushing the edge of his t-shirt up just enough to let him know she wanted it off.

Jellal laughed and let the shirt fall over the edge of the bed. "No, I didn't. You wiped the floor with me." She leaned down close enough to brush her lips over his.

"You liked it."

"I liked it _very_ much."

Erza did, indeed, proceed directly to dessert – just not the dessert he expected. He didn't realize she wasn't wearing anything under the short nightgown until she had him in her hand, hard and ready. Erza didn't stop him from holding her steady as she slid down over his erection. She didn't protest when he pulled the nightgown over her head. The only sounds she made were breathy sighs of his name when his hands found her breasts.

She rode him slowly and though he'd have preferred a faster pace, he said nothing. Her breath hitched and without warning she pushed him to his back and pressed his wrists into the pillows above his head. Erza's expression was completely blank but her eyes skewered him. She breathed in once and then twice.

"Marry me," she whispered.

Jellal blinked. _"What?"_

 _"Marry me."_

"I asked you to marry _me_ six months ago and you said no."

"I wasn't ready six months ago." Her nose nudged his and she smiled. "I won fair and square, Jellal, you _have_ to marry me now. I don't make the rules."

Erza yelped in surprise when he flipped her to her back and left kisses across her clavicle, her cheeks, and finally her mouth.

"You didn't have to kick my ass in the ring to get me to marry you," he said softly. Erza's cheeks flushed.

"I thought maybe you'd say no otherwise."

Any reply he had tangled on his tongue. "Are you serious?"

"Well, yeah." Jellal shook his head incredulously.

"Yes, I'll marry you."

"When?" She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

"I don't know. When the courthouse and records office opens on Monday morning?"

"Perfect." Erza squirmed beneath him and Jellal set a faster rhythm. She came with a high moan and, with great relief, Jellal let himself go. His head fell to her shoulder. "You really think we can get married next week? You won't change your mind and make me cream you in front of everybody at the gym again?"

Jellal met her eyes and dropped a kiss on her lips. "Erza, I'd have married you when we were twelve, okay? I would also wait another whole lifetime for you to be ready."

"Where's my ring?" she asked, grinning. Jellal rolled off her and reached into the bedside table drawer. He relaxed into the pillows and pulled her against him. The ring glinted off the lamplight. Erza took it from him and slid it onto her finger. "I love it."

"I hope so. At this point it's non-refundable."

Erza laughed softly and kissed his cheek.


	81. Nothing New

_**"Hangezoeisbae asked: Person A (Erza ) and C (Kagura )are roommates and live together. Person A and B (Jellal obviously xD) (partners) did the do last night, and at breakfast the next morning C randomly says "You guys have loud sex." I've been wanting to request this for a while ^.^"**_

 _ **So. Fairy Tail is over. I wasn't sure how I felt about taking requests after such a terrible ending for Jerza but the amount of negativity in the tag on tumblr is depressing and I'm over it!**_

* * *

 **Nothing New**

* * *

Erza squealed when he flipped her to her stomach and pressed his chest against her back. Jellal's lips brushed the back of her neck and her shoulder before his teeth gently bit into the soft flesh between both spots. She had no time to utter a word because he was already inside of her and moving. Erza bit her bottom lip and her eyes fluttered closed.

His hands touched her in all the places she liked to be touched and his fingers found their place between her legs. She heard his breaths quicken and reached behind her to grab a handful of his hair and bring his lips to hers.

Jellal was an enthusiastic lover and Erza still hadn't bothered to inch the bed frame all the way against the wall so with every thrust the headboard shifted. It wasn't a _loud_ knock at all and Erza's bedroom was on an outside wall so she didn't think twice about it. When Jellal finished, she was a panting, sweaty mess. He fell to the mattress beside her and Erza let herself flatten out on the sheets.

"When does Kagura come home?" he asked between breaths.

"Not until tomorrow, I think." Erza rose up on her arms and took a possessive kiss. "I'm wiped," she muttered against his lips.

"Sleep?"

"Yeah." She reached over and switched off the lamp. Erza suspected Jellal wasn't as much of a cuddly sleeper as she was but he'd never complained.

* * *

"I can't cook bacon under this assault," Erza breathed, not really pushing him away. Jellal's arms wrapped around her waist and held her against him.

"Maybe we should –"

"Oh, _god,"_ a third voice said from the otherside of the kitchen. "Really? In the room with the food? Is nothing sacred?"

"Kagura!" Erza sputtered. "What, uh, what are you doing here?" She elbowed Jellal who backed away quickly and took a seat at the table looking altogether mortified.

"I _live_ here?" Kagura scrutinized them both before filling her coffee mug.

"But your flight –"

"I caught an earlier one. I got in last night," she said with a shrug. Kagura turned to leave the kitchen but stopped in the archway. "By the way, you two are extremely loud at sex. Like, my god. Erza if you need help doing something about your headboard, let me know." She paused for dramatic effect as her eyes slid accusingly to Jellal. "After you disinfect everything, of course. I don't touch things that have had naked man on them."

Erza's face flushed a deep red. Jellal appeared at her side and pried the spatula from her hand.

"You'll burn the bacon."

"She heard us," Erza whispered. "She knows you were naked in my bed!"

"That isn't news." Jellal laughed quietly and leaned down to kiss her cheek.


	82. The Tedious Task of Glue and Fringe

_**"Anonymous asked: Person A and Person B are in a relatively new relationship. Finally person A introduces person B to their child from a previous relationship, but they don't necessarily get off to the right start at first."**_

 _ **This is literally drowning in cheese and I'm sorry.**_

* * *

 **The Tedious Task of Glue and Fringe**

* * *

Erza fumbled around in her bag for her set of keys. Her fingers had brushed over the jagged edges twice already. She knew she was stalling. Jellal only smiled and waited. He was patient. _Too_ patient. Why was he even here with her instead of anyone else? Perhaps a woman who didn't clunk around town in a junker of a car? Or a woman with a better kept yard or a bigger house or a kid who was supposed to be asleep but was probably lurking in the hallway while his babysitter's back was turned?

"Is everything okay?" he asked, his voice drowning out the buzz of her fading porch light.

"Uh –" Erza's hand closed around the set of keys and she finally dragged them from her bag. "Listen, you don't have to do this, you know? He's – he's a lot of work. I'm afraid I wasn't a very stern mother when he was younger. We were both young. Natsu is..." Erza trailed off. She didn't know where the line between fair warning and disparagement stood. Natsu was her son and she loved him but she wasn't blind to his wild outbursts. "I haven't brought home a guy since he was in diapers. I don't now how he'll react."

"You don't think he'll be asleep this late?"

Erza's lips flattened into a line. "He's awake."

"I can take it, Erza. I already love all the parts of you I've met." His grin was easy and Erza flushed. She didn't know how to handle someone who gave so freely. Her arms were full but she wondered if she left his too empty.

"Right," she breathed. Erza slid the key into the deadbolt and unlocked the door. The house was quiet – too quiet. She led Jellal through the dark front room back to the kitchen where a sixteen-ish girl sat with her open laptop and a backpack filled with books. "How was he?"

"Typical Natsu," Juvia said brightly. "He was calmer after dinner, though. I put him in bed but you know how that goes."

Erza laughed lightly and left her purse on the counter. "I do know exactly how that goes. I'll you for tonight when the invoice comes through."

"Thanks, Erza."

"No, thank _you._ You're the only sitter who hasn't run away screaming."

"He's a scrappy kid but he's a sweetheart once you get to know him." Juvia slid her laptop back into her backpack and stood. "I'm going away this weekend but that's it for the rest of this month." She glanced over at Jellal and her cheeks turned pink. "I mean, if you needed more nights... or whatever."

"I'll let you know," Erza said with a smirk. Juvia waved them both off and Erza waited for the front door to shut before turning back to Jellal. "She's the best sitter I've ever had."

"I take it you've had many?"

"Oh, yeah," Erza sighed. She crossed the kitchen and slid her arms around his middle.

"I –" Jellal never got to finish his thought.

"What's this?" a small voice said from behind them. Erza closed her eyes briefly and sucked in a deep breath before releasing Jellal. She stepped around him and tugged on his hand so he'd follow.

"Natsu, this is Jellal."

Natsu stood in the half-lit archway that led back into the front room and hallway. He was clad in his favorite pajamas printed all over with fire breathing dragons. His hair stuck out everywhich way – he'd obviously not bothered to comb it after his bath. The sight would've been cute if it weren't for the glare plastered on his face.

"Did you bring me the glue and newspaper?" Natsu demanded, not even acknowledging Jellal.

"I – what?" Erza stuttered.

"Glue, mom. And newspaper. For my project. _You promised!"_

Erza's stomach dropped from her body and squelched to the floor. His project. Of course. "I completely forgot," Erza whispered. She'd crossed a line and forgot her son's craft supplies to... _what?_ Go on a date? _Jesus_ her priorities were fucked. She was officially That Mom.

"This is your fault!" Natsu said darkly, pointing at Jellal. To his credit, Jellal didn't speak. He simply squeezed Erza's hand and turned to her.

"I should go." His eyes weren't as judgemental as they should've been, in Erza's opinion. She'd have deserved it. "I'll call you, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," Erza whispered. She didn't follow him to the door and she didn't see him out. Instead, she knelt on the floor in front of Natsu to tidy the messy points of his hair. "I'm sorry about your _piñata_ _._ We'll go together tomorrow and you can pick everything out yourself."

Natsu's face fell. "But you're working all day tomorrow and at night," he whispered. "The calendar says so. It'll just be me and grandma."

"Then I'll go on my lunch and leave it here on the table for you, okay? I won't forget."

"I'm sorry about your boyfriend," he said even lower than a whisper. "I shouldn't have yelled."

"It's okay. You were right. I forgot and it's entirely my fault. I apologize." Erza's heart was in pieces. Natsu might have been a wild, impulsive little boy but he wasn't malicious. He simply acted on whatever emotion was loudest in his head at the time. Natsu could remember detailed maps of their neighborhood and town, he could perfectly recite the calendar she taped to the fridge every month, and he could remember every single ingredient in just about any given sauce she made in the kitchen – but he was bound to his emotions and impulses. Tieing his shoes or combing his hair or remembering mundane things like sharpening his pencils escaped him easily.

"I'm still sorry." He suddenly lunged forward and wrapped his arms around her neck. Erza stood and brought him up with her.

"Let's get to bed, okay? Tomorrow will be another day. I promise I won't mess up again."

Natsu yawned and his fingers tangled in her hair. "You don't mess up, mom. Not really." His words were sweet but she knew they came from the biased heart of a child.

* * *

"Oh, honey," Eileen said with a sigh. "This isn't an issue of _faults._ You forgot. It was a human thing to do." She reached over and tucked a stray wisp of hair back into her daughter's bun. "You're doing your best."

"I forgot my kid's stuff because I was on a _date_ , mom," Erza stated firmly. "That's heinous."

"No, you forgot Natsu's stuff because you have a million little things on your plate and one of them was bound to fall off. You're only human, my love. Go easy on yourself."

"I can't go easy." Erza pulled a soda can from the refrigerator and popped it open. "He's still a kid and I disappointed him."

"Listen to me." Eileen took the soda can and set aside. She covered Erza's hands with her own. "We are a family of hard things. We do those hard things and we do them well." Erza opened her mouth but Eileen shook her head. "Not _perfect_ , Erza. _Well._ You were very young when Natsu was born and look at this life you've made. You work at the hospital _and_ moonlight at an overnight clinic. There's nothing wrong with any of that except that heap of scrap metal in your driveway." She smiled. "And even the car's been handled."

"It'll be handled at the end of the month when I have the cash for a down payment."

"Details, details," Eileen whispered. "You've put yourself through college and work two jobs. Honestly, Erza, you had a date. So what?"

"Yeah," Erza said under her breath. _"Had._ I doubt I'll hear from him again." She knew she was being overly dramatic but it made her feel better.

"If he's worth your time, you will." Eileen stepped back and looked over the grocery bags filled with newspapers, balloons, glue, and brightly colored tissue paper. "Is this for Natsu's project? Should I look into making a _piñata_ before he comes home or does he know what he's doing?"

Erza laughed and gathered her bag and soda. "I'd recommend at least one YouTube tutorial before he gets home. Natsu loves to _say_ he knows how to do a thing but he's really just winging it."

"I'll figure it out."

"If he gets too jumpy about it, just take him to the park. The _piñata_ isn't actually due until next week. He's just really excited about it."

"What time will you be home?" Eileen pushed the bags aside and took a seat at the table.

"Probably five-ish."

"Erza –"

"Don't start, mom. It's just until I can get a new car. I'll cut back on the overnight shifts when things aren't so rocky." Eileen smiled at Erza and shook her head.

"You're too much like me. Call your guy between shifts. At least promise me that."

"I promise," Erza muttered on her way out the door.

* * *

She didn't keep her promise – but she didn't have to. Jellal texted her at seven-thirty and she agreed to meet him at midnight on her meal break.

The clinic was quiet for the most part. Thursdays weren't the busiest nights compared to Fridays and Saturdays. That wasn't her problem, though. For the first time in the last several weeks, Erza had two days off in a row from both her jobs.

At twelve-oh-five, Erza slipped out the front door of the clinic and found Jellal shivering in his jacket at the far end of the parking lot.

"You're really doing the work, aren't you?" she asked with a laugh. Erza let him pull her against him. The euphoria he always brought with him pushed everything else out of her head.

"It's worth it." He ducked his head and left a warm kiss on her lips. "I'm sorry about last night."

"Oh, it's not your fault. It's mine." She grinned up at him and pulled on the front of his jacket so she could absorb the heat. "For what it's worth, he's sorry for yelling."

"He's a kid. He doesn't have to apologize."

"Maybe –" Erza bit her lip and tried to dial back her impulse to make weekend plans with him but failed. "I don't work tomorrow or Saturday. Maybe we could have a take two? Natsu reacts better to planned things. He's got school tomorrow and Saturday afternoon might very well be a mess of papier-mâché –"

"I didn't know you were into crafting," he said with a smile and another kiss on the apple of her cheek.

"I'm not. Natsu wanted to make a _piñata_ for his heritage project." Erza flushed in embarrassment. "We, uh, don't have a serviceable relationship with his dad's family so I'm relying on the internet to help us out with it."

 _"Piñatas_ are easy. I've made plenty. It's just messy and tedious."

"Yeah?"

"Yep. My grandmother used to make us the big ones for our birthdays every year. If Natsu wants help I think I can swing a smaller one for his project."

"Would you really?" Erza breathed.

"Of course! I mean, if he wants. I don't want to impose."

"I'll bring it up but I'm pretty sure he'll explode all over the kitchen. He's super excited about it."

"I'd be happy to help, even if my motivation is a little selfish."

"Selfish?" Jellal's hands slid over her shoulders and his palms cupped her cheeks.

"I can't continue see you or get closer to you without making peace with Natsu. He's a part of you and your life. I don't want the spare bits of you that are cut off from everything else. I've had that for the last four months and I'm here for the rest. I don't care if it's messy or hard."

"That's – that's a lot, Jellal," Erza whispered. Her heart raced but she needed to be _sure_ he understood. "This is where things get complicated. This is where it's not so easy for me to just let you go if things don't work out. It won't be just me getting hurt anymore."

"Then maybe we should concentrate on not having to let go."

"You're crazy, you know that?"

"So I've been told." He kissed her in the yellow light of the parking lot and Erza didn't notice the flecks of snow in her hair until they melted in the warmer air of the clinic.

* * *

Scraps of newspaper littered the kitchen. Natsu stood on his chair and loomed over Jellal's shoulder as he demonstrated how to cut fringe into rolls of the thin tissue paper. The balloons and cones had been covered already by Natsu and Eileen, and all that still needed to be done was the decoration. Erza watched her normally hyperactive son slowly and carefully apply the fringe layer after layer.

When the _piñata_ was finished Jellal hung it from a coat hanger in the doorway.

"I wouldn't touch it until the day you take it to school."

"Do you think the glue will be dry by Wednesday?"

"For sure," Jellal said with a smile. "It's just best to leave it alone until then. The paper fringe is delicate."

"Wow," Natsu whispered, gazing up at the yellow and orange _piñata._ "I bet nobody in my class will have something as awesome as this!"

"Why don't you go wash all that glue off your hands, okay?" Erza said, gathering the trash from the table into a bag. "I ordered dinner."

 _"Awesome!"_ Natsu belted, taking off down the hallway. Erza exhaled heavily and tied off the bag. She could tell he'd been bottling up his excitement all day for the tedious tast of glueing fringe and would explode any minute.

"That went okay, right?" Jellal's voice came from just over her shoulder. He took the trash bag from her hand and set it aside.

"It did. I'm – _thank you."_

"For what?"

"For being patient with him. For offering in the first place." Erza's fingers closed in the front of his shirt. "For being patient with _me."_

"I'm not in a rush, Erza," he said quietly. "Just don't shut me out when things get hard. I can do the hard stuff."

Erza's heart skipped a beat and she stared up at him. Her mother's words tangled with his in her mind.

' _We are a family of hard things. We do those hard things and we do them well.'_

"Erza?"

She blinked and shook her head. "Sorry," she whispered. Finally she smiled. "I can do the hard stuff too. It's nice to think I might not have to do it alone anymore."

When he kissed her it didn't last nearly as long as she wished. Natsu came tearing back down the hallway just as the doorbell announced dinner had arrived.


	83. On Technicality

_**"Anonymous asked: Could you do an AU at school where Jellal is really smart and good at everything (like an alpha male lol) and Erza is student president (who's also rly good at everything) and everyone is crazy for them but they're actually highschool sweethearts but keeping their relationship a secret? I'm sorry this looks messy, smut and/or fluff pls?"**_

 _ **I don't really care for "alpha males" or that whole thing but I did my best to make them both insufferable in the way you asked.**_

* * *

 **On Technicality**

* * *

Erza clutched the pen in her hand tightly. The more he talked the more her feathers ruffled. She didn't like the case. It reeked of technicalities and loopholes.

"It _wasn't_ a campaign video," he argued. Erza's eye twitched. Of course he'd taken on an argument like this. He _loved_ to talk and hear himself talk. Charismatic speeches were absolutely his thing and it was why he would make an excellent attorney one day. On _this_ day, though, she hated him... mostly.

"Oh, please." The plaintiff's representative rolled her eyes. "You're _really_ going to argue that a fundraising video for a _charity_ in the middle of an election cycle isn't a campaign video? All videos pertaining to the election must be submitted and approved prior to posting on social media."

"We've all see the video, Councilor," he said with the most outrageously arrogant grin. "No where does the defendant plug herself or her campaign."

 _"The entire video is a plug for her campaign!"_

"We disagree. In the student bylaws a campaign video is defined as –" he went on but Erza stopped listening. He'd already proved his case and would win on a technicality. He liked to win and won often. It wasn't that he was bad at his job in this regard, he was _great. Too_ great. Just once she wanted him to lose – preferably badly.

Once the closing arguments had been made, Erza tried her best not to glare down at him.

"We will issue a decision tomorrow. As of now, no further arguments will be accepted." Before the room emptied, she caught him grinning at her. Erza scowled.

* * *

Erza's eyes fluttered closed and her teeth dug into her bottom lip. Normally she didn't care for the mess that sex on the dresser left – she had too many bottles of lotion and sprays and lipstick tubes for it to be a good idea – but tonight she didn't care. She was _frustrated._ Her nails left halfmoon indents on his shoulders and he smiled against her lips.

"Stop that," she gasped, gripping him harder.

"Stop what?" he whispered as he slipped his arm under her knee and took up an new angle.

"You _know_ what. Don't grin at me in _that_ way, Jellal."

"You like it." He pressed her backward so her shoulders touched the wall. She _did_ like it – which is why it annoyed her so much.

"Shut up and finish what you started." Erza's hand slid from his shoulder to grasp the open flap of his formerly crisp button down shirt. She yanked him hard and tried to swallow a groan.

"What _I_ started?" Jellal's pace quickened and Erza's lipstick tubes rattled and rolled off the surface of the dresser. He laughed breathily and Erza felt a twitch low in her belly. "I seem to recall _you_ pulling _me_ in here."

"Shut _up,"_ she breathed. "Do you _ever_ stop talking?"

Jellal suddenly pulled her back against his chest and filled his hands with either side of her rear end. "No," he whispered in her ear, in the tone she _loved._ The one no one else ever got to hear.

Erza finished with an elongated sigh and slumped into him. "I'm tired."

"I'm sure you are. I bet you got quite the work out clenching everything between your jaw and toes in that hearing today."

"Ugh," Erza muttered, pushing him off her. "Way to spoil the moment."

"Oh, come on," he argued, helping her off the dresser. Erza didn't watch him pull up his boxers and shed his pants or bend down to retrieve all the bottles and tubes they'd disturbed. "It wasn't even a real case!"

"So you're telling me a student government candidate running several emotionally manipulative and self masturbatory videos for a charity she _co-chairs_ smack dab in the middle of an election isn't a plug?" Erza pulled a tank top over her head and let him pull her hair free even though she wanted very much to punish him. "That's dense, even for you."

"She never mentioned the campaign," Jellal leveled, falling backwards onto her bed. He folded his arms behind his head and Erza didn't need to turn around to know he was still grinning. "By definition it wasn't a campaign video."

"Okay _maybe._ But it was still very shady and absolutely intentional."

"I knew you'd see it my way."

Erza wrinkled her nose even as she joined him in the bed. "Just because you won doesn't mean I see it your way, Jellal. Don't misunderstand."

"So that means I'm going to win tomorrow?"

"It means technically she didn't violate the rule but it's still cheating and I will make sure that is stated clearly in the court's decision." Jellal laughed and finally shed the wrinkled mess of his shirt. He rolled over on his side and brushed her hair from her eyes. Erza allowed herself to smile but hoped it was more of a smirk – it wasn't. "One day you're going to lose bad and I hope I'm the one to deliver that decision."

"Your kink is me losing?"

"Absolutely. It would serve you right. You haven't lost so much as a card game since high school. Your ego could stand a hit or two." She let him kiss her and decided she'd forgive him in the morning for being such a insufferable ass. "I should break up with you for being such an enormous conflict of interest."

Jellal snorted. "It's not a conflict of interest if I've never been able to sway you one single inch on anything since we've been together – or even before that." He reached behind him to pull the lamp chain. "I think you do get off on disagreeing with me."

"Maybe I do." Once her room was dark, Erza stole a kiss. "One day I'll win."

"You can certainly try. _My_ kink is watching you steep in irritation even when you know I'm right." He laughed softly. _"Especially_ when you know I'm right."

"Shut up."


	84. Practically Perfect in Every Way

_**"Anonymous asked: "You love me right?" Modern AU for the request? Idk I just really need angst rn."**_

 _ **So... This got away from me. I hope you like single dad/nanny AU because this 11k of exactly that. Also please forgive the sloppy formatting. My laptop is on the blink and I'm posting from an iPad and google docs EATS FORMATTING. I AM SO UPSET. Anyway.**_

 _ **Thanks so much to Freyjabee for the pre-read!**_

* * *

 **Practically Perfect in Every Way**

* * *

 _Autumn_

Their situation wasn't ideal. He felt bad admitting that because _of course_ it wasn't ideal. Not for him, not for the girls, and certainly not for their mother – his sister – who'd just been buried. _Just_ being a relative term because the funeral was nearly six months behind them. Six months had passed and he was only beginning to settle in the new house with the children that were now his... _ish._ His- _ish._ Were they his? He supposed they were. _Gods_ he was already a terrible father. He couldn't even call them his children without following it up with unnecessary qualifiers.

The social worker had glared at him when he explained that he was still technically a college student. He couldn't just _move._ PhD candidates didn't just _leave._ He had papers and books and a _life._ He even had a job offer already, despite being a full year away from graduating. The position, of course, had been the gage by which he measured all his success as a student. _That_ had been buried right along with his sister, though. He'd need to seek other, more local, employment now. Which was fine. It was _fine._

It wasn't fine.

He was angry. Not at the blameless, motherless children that now looked to him as their only parental figure to guide them through their tumultuous childhood and into the even more choppy waters of adulthood. Not at his sister who'd up and died and left him her daughters – okay, maybe he was a little mad at his sister. When she'd asked him if he'd be okay with a place in her Last Will and Testament as a guardian to her daughters, he hadn't considered that she'd develop cancer and actually die before he even graduated college – or ever! All of the blocks toppled at once and Jellal felt completely buried.

 _"I just need a little time,"_ he'd said to the social worker.

 _"Don't you think these kids would love to have time at their disposal? They're children who just lost their mother and I don't think –"_

 _"I lost my sister, too,"_ he'd snapped. _"This is hard for me, too. Look, I'm doing my best. I can have everything done in maybe two months. I can finish my studies at a distance but I need time."_

She'd sighed and eyed him harshly over the tops of her bifocals. _"You can have one month. After that you'll need to be here full time according to the attorney. My only interest is the children. We'll schedule follow-ups once you're here permanently."_

 _"I'm sorry,"_ he'd been so confused. Everything had been _horribly_ confusing. _"Attorney?"_

 _"Didn't you know?"_ For the first time since they'd met, the social worker grinned. _"There's a whole litany of things your sister set up before her death. Good luck, Mister Fernandes."_ On his way out he thought for sure he'd heard her whisper, _"You'll need it."_

The sale of his sister's house happened quicker than he could truly process. She hadn't wanted her daughters to grow up in the house where she'd died. He didn't know whether to curse her or bless her, but she'd prepared the children for the move. They wanted a say in the new house. Corralling two little girls together to view properties exhausted him more than any late night study session followed by a full day of classes ever had. By the time he had three positive votes on a house, he was ready to sign the papers right away. But there were roadblocks. Things like _escrow_ and _amortization_ and _estate tax._ Jellal didn't care about any of that. He just wanted to move. To _settle._

Even now that they were in the house with all new things – his sister had left behind a sizable amount of money, a sum he couldn't quite comprehend – Jellal still felt out of control. The kitchen was tidy and sparkling. The girls' bedroom and playroom were perfect. The living room was as inviting as any he'd ever seen. They even had a mud room – Jellal hadn't even known what a mud room was until a month before. But his office? An utter nightmare. Boxes were still on the floor and books were stacked on every available surface. The office had been his only condition in a family home. Even the keyboard of his laptop was littered with printouts of resumes.

And that's how she found him. A messy postgrad student standing alone in his office, sifting through papers and books. His hair, though recently trimmed, stood mostly on end and his sweater wasn't quite enough to keep away the early October chill – he _really_ needed drapes for the windows in the room before winter.

"Mister Fernandes?" she said softly from the door. He jumped. His fingers curled into the paper and wrinkled it.

"Yes?" Jellal straightened and cleared his throat. "Are you..." he trailed off and poked around the mess of papers again. "I'm so sorry, I don't..."

"Miss Scarlet," she offered, stepping around the boxes between the door and his desk. He shook her hand briefly before realizing her resume was the one he'd crumpled. Of course it was.

"Forgive me, this office is a nightmare right now. I'm..." he trailed off again and pushed the fluffy cat from his chair. The cat belonged to his oldest niece. Though obviously a boy, she'd named him Lily.

"A mess?" her smile was distracting but the way the afternoon sun glinted off the violent red of her hair was even _more_ distracting. "It's okay, I understand. I only recently graduated myself. I can't imagine going for a doctorate. I don't think I'd survive."

Jellal removed his glasses, took a seat in his chair, and motioned to the one across from him. "It's exhausting," he agreed, glancing over her resume quickly.

"I think I should just go ahead and tell you, Mister Fernandes, I don't have any experience in nannying." She bit her lip and her shoulders fell. "Or even babysitting."

He scanned her wrinkled resume and tried his best to flatten it out.

"I just thought I'd get that out there before... this went any further... Mister Fernandes?" Her expression was concerned curiosity when he finally looked up. He blinked.

"Well, of course you don't have experience," he said incredulously. Her resume, besides having no experience, was impressive. She had a master's degree in early childhood development and had taken a brief position as a councilor at a Montessori School out of state. "You just graduated."

"Lots of people want experience," she offered helpfully. "And relevant references."

"Oh." He blinked again. "Well do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Have relevant references."

"I just said I didn't."

"Then why did you bring it up?

Her eyes narrowed and she licked her lips. "I'm sorry but do you have a clue what you're doing?"

"No." Jellal sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"I see." She shifted in her own chair and cleared her throat. "Maybe you could tell me a little more about what you're looking for in a nanny and I'll decide if I can handle that."

"Right." He sat up again and heaved a deep breath. "The oldest just turned seven. Yukino is only three, though, and for now she's staying with a babysitter down the street but I'd like for that to stop once I hire you. A bus comes for Sorano in the mornings at the corner around seven-thirty, and brings her home again at three-thirty-ish."

"That sounds manageable," she said with a nod. "What else?"

He fidgeted a bit before pressing on. "I'm hoping maybe for help with some extraneous kid-related things, too."

"Like?"

"I am absolutely capable of handling my own laundry, I would never ask you to do that, but –" He sighed defeatedly. "Little girls just go through so many clothes. I can't keep up."

"So laundry? I think I can handle that. What about meals?"

"Uh," Jellal felt the tips of his ears burn. He hadn't expected the process of explaining how utterly inept he was to be so embarrassing. Maybe if Miss Scarlet were _older_ and not so obviously an age peer he'd feel less exposed. "I'm afraid my skills in the kitchen are limited to pasta and sauce. The quality control department has put me on notice."

Miss Scarlet stifled a laugh. "I think I can help out with that, too. I'll need a list of known allergies or any limitations or preferences."

"Of course,'' he blurted. _Did_ the children have allergies? He thought for sure he'd have been informed if either of them had life threatening allergies. "And, uh, I'm not sure about your living situation but the gable on the roof is actually a third floor apartment. The realtor called it a _granny's quarters."_ Jellal flushed. "But obviously you aren't a granny and I'm not asking you to –"

"I'll have a look. I've been staying at a hotel near the airport in Tacoma and haven't worked out residency yet."

"Perfect." Jellal suddenly stood and dislodged the array of resumes hanging over the edge of his desk. He scrambled to keep them from falling all over the floor but failed miserably. "I can show you the house now. The girls are down the street with Yukino's sitter. I told her I was doing interviews today and –"

"Can I meet them?"

"The sitter?"

"No, Mister Fernandes, the children." Miss Scarlet smiled in a way that was almost a smirk.

"Right." He stopped in front of her and hid his hands in his pockets. "Listen, I'm sure I come across as wildly unprofessional. I apologize if that's making you uncomfortable. Please just let me know what you need and I'll do my best to accommodate you."

"I think we're probably on the same level there. Maybe if I had more experience with a position like this I would have a better feel of how to judge your situation. Why don't you show me the house and then we'll talk about salary and the things I need. If we can come to an agreement, I'd like to meet the kids and go from there."

"That sounds great, Miss Scarlet." He smiled and then she smiled and it was a great effort to turn away and lead her through the house.

Miss Scarlet's expression remained neutral throughout the entire tour until they reached the laundry room attached to the mud room. She quirked an eyebrow at the piles of clothes that hadn't been sorted at all. When they reached the front room, she began in a business-like voice.

"Who does your shopping?"

"Me."

"I think you should let me do that."

"Right. Okay."

She eyed him closely before going on. "I'll need a minimum of five full days completely off duty for myself a month. I don't mind including the kids for small personal errands but the five days a month will be a requirement."

"That sounds reasonable. If you need more, don't hesitate to bring it up."

"I won't. Since you're looking for both a nanny and some general housekeeping during the week, I think a salary around –"

"I was thinking seven-eighty a week to start?" he blurted. It was more than his sister's attorney had recommended but after spending the last two hours with Miss Scarlet, Jellal didn't want anyone else. "There's a car in the garage that belonged to my sister and you can have full use of it for nanny stuff. And a phone. I can get you a phone. We can outfit the apartment on the third floor however you like."

"What if I wanted a pet?"

Jellal blinked. He hadn't expected such a request. Did he care if she wanted a pet? She laughed lightly and the sound was the most levitating thing he'd heard in weeks.

"I'm kidding, Mister Fernandes. How –" The sound of the children bursting through the front door rattled in Jellal's skull. He still wasn't quite used to the way they charged into a room. His two nieces, followed by their exasperated sitter, stopped short in the archway between the living room and foyer.

"I'm sorry, Jellal, but Yuki is running a temperature and my daughter can't be exposed."

"It's fine, Bisca, I can take it from here." Though he'd expected it, Jellal was still surprised when Bisca offered Miss Scarlet her hand.

"You must be the new nanny," she said with a wide smile. "I need to get back home to my daughter but I wanted to introduce myself. If you ever need _anything_ don't hesitate to ask."

"Well," Jellal cut in. "She's not –"

"I'm Erza," Miss Scarlet offered with her own smile. "And thank you!"

"Jellal is so green with these girls, they just stampede all over him sometimes," Bisca added. Jellal wanted to usher his neighbor out the door but his mouth felt full of cotton. "We should have a drink on your soonest day off. I'd love a friend close by. My husband travels a lot and this neighborhood can be so cliquish."

"I can imagine."

Bisca finally took a few steps back and exhaled. "Well, I'll get out of your hair." She turned to Jellal briefly. "I'm so glad you finally found someone, Jellal. You need it."

Jellal's headache flared. He liked Bisca, and she was wonderful as a caregiver, but she talked a lot.

"It was nice meeting you," Miss Scarlet said as the woman turned to leave. Jellal reached up for his glasses – the habit of wiping his lenses on his shirt when nervous was an old one – but remembered he'd left them in his office. The two nearly identical girls stared wide eyed at Miss Scarlet. Only Yukino moved toward her and slid a hand into hers.

"I'm so sorry about Bisca," Jellal offered. "She has a way of commanding a room."

"It's fine, Mister Fernandes." She glanced over the children who only blinked in silence. Jellal couldn't recall the house ever being so quiet since they'd moved in.

"Are you really our new nanny?" Sorano asked, scooping Lily up from the floor.

"Well –"

Jellal cleared his throat. "Yes. I mean, if she wants."

Miss Scarlet's mouth twitched into a grin. Yukino still clutched at her hand. Around her neck was the ever present purple feather boa she loved so much. It was flecked with silver foil and she wore it nearly everywhere.

"I think we have a deal, Mister Fernandes."

"When can you start?"

"Are you fun?" Sorano blurted. "The last lady was _old."_

Miss Scarlet quirked an eyebrow. "Old?"

"Like _super_ old," Sorano rolled her eyes dramatically. "Will you take us places? And can we do fun stuff outside?"

"Um, yeah, we can do that."

"Are you gonna live above us in the room with the sink?"

"Room with the sink?"

Jellal curbed the instinct to sigh. "She means the apartment on the third floor. It's not a room with a sink, that's a _kitchenette."_

"Whatever." Sorano shrugged.

"I think so," Miss Scarlet answered. "Your uncle and I still have some details to work out."

"I'm hungry. Let me know when we can eat something that's not spaghetti for dinner." Sorano wandered off toward the kitchen. Yukino giggled at Erza's side and, still clutching her hand, gazed up at her with wide brown eyes.

"Sorano is opinionated," Jellal offered. "I think it's part of her package."

"It's fine, Mister Fernandes."

Yukino yawned and tugged on the edge of Jellal's sweater. She finally released Miss Scarlet and reached upwards at him. With minimal awkwardness he pulled her into his arms and she settled against his hip.

"I've got to get her in bed," he said apologetically. "When were you looking to start?"

"I had my things shipped to a storage unit and they're scheduled to arrive early next week. I can have the truck re-routed here, if that's okay?"

"That's fine."

"And I can start in two days. I have some other things I should handle first."

"Of course. I'll get someone upstairs to clean everything out for you before Friday."

"Perfect! I'll make a list of items I need from you to make things run a little more smoothly and email it to you."

Jellal's mind raced. He had no idea what she meant.

"Don't worry, Mister Fernandes, it's just stuff like signed letters to present at doctor's appointments and to the school. I'll provide the letters and you'll just need to sign them."

"Thank you so much, Miss Scarlet, I really apologize for being so unprepared."

"Under the circumstances, I think I can let it slide." If she hadn't been smiling at him, he'd have felt like a heel. Miss Scarlet turned to leave but stopped at the archway. "And, please, we'll be seeing a lot of one another. Call me Erza."

"Right," he blurted. "Erza." Yukino laughed softly and poked him in the shoulder. "I'm Jellal. You can just call me that."

"I'll get that list to you by tomorrow, Jellal," Erza waved at Yukino before leaving them alone in the living room.

"She's got pretty hair," Yukino whispered just before yawning.

"She does," Jellal murmured, tucking her under his chin. "Let's get you in bed, okay? Want a movie?" Yukino nodded and sighed softly.

* * *

 _Winter_

He found her alone at the dining table - the fancy one they never used because children plus carpet plus food weren't always a good combination. She was hunched over with her chin resting on her arms that were folded on the table. In front of her was an open shipping box, emptied, and a prettily wrapped holiday gift. Jellal took a seat across from her and slid one of the hot mugs toward her side of the table. Ezra took a surprisingly long gulp of the hot toddy before smirking.

"How did you know I'd need a stiff drink before opening this package?"

"Call it a lucky guess," he answered with a grin. "You've been sitting here since you got home and I've been trying to work out how soon I could join you before you wouldn't think I'm nosey for offering."

Ezra sighed and swirled the mix of whiskey, honey, and tea in her mug.

"It's that bad, huh?"

"Nothing from my mother is ever completely _good."_

"So no chance of an innocuous gift of socks or a pen set you'll never use?"

"I would never be so lucky."

Jellal poked the box around in a circle with his fingers. "It's pretty at least."

"She would never send something ugly." Erza sat up straight and chugged the rest of her drink and set the mug aside. "Time to do the adult thing, I guess."

Jellal quirked an eyebrow but followed suit with his own drink. The whiskey already made him feel on the fuzzier side. He watched Erza shred the paper more than truly necessary. The gift box was small and inside was an envelope. She scowled before opening the envelope and scowled even more when she peeked inside.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," she blurted and then flushed. "Sorry."

"The girls are asleep, it's fine." Jellal couldn't quite help the way he leaned forward on the heel of his hand and smiled - he would've been able to help it if he weren't riding a whiskey buzz but that was neither here nor there. Erza stuffed the envelope back into the gift box and unceremoniously tossed it back into the shipping box along with the shreds of gift wrap. "No pens or socks?"

"Nope," she said with an annoyed finality. "Plane tickets."

"Is she offering a vacation? Because if you need time off -"

Erza laughed loosely and stood. "I'll need a second drink to explain it."

He followed her into the kitchen. Erza skipped the tea and poured only whiskey first for herself before handing over the bottle. After a sip, she grinned.

"The plane tickets are twofold. She wants me back home and by only sending the tickets and nothing else she's letting me know my life here, and my stuff, aren't important. Everything is replaceable to her and if it doesn't fit into her box, it doesn't matter."

"All that from plane tickets?"

"My mother is a complex woman, Jellal, I learned to play the game early in life."

"I'm starting to think my sister was the same way."

"Did she not approve of your field of study?"

"I don't think she cared one way or the other. But I do think she knew she was dying long before ever telling anyone but her attorney."

"Women are excellent secret keepers."

"She left me enough to pay off all my loans and to live comfortably as long as I stay here and raise her daughters. Your salary comes from the trust. Everything to do with this house and the girls comes from a trust I have nothing to do with. I'm not privy to exactly how much there is or how it works. I've only been told there's _enough."_

"Wow," Erza said, leaning against the counter. "My mother is at least transparent if you know how to look at her. She came by her money when my father died."

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks," she said before finishing off her whiskey. "But I didn't even know the guy. He was gone before I was out of diapers. For all I know she killed him."

Jellal stared at her in a baffled stupor.

"I'm kidding," Erza laughed. "Kind of. I just don't know what happened except that he's dead and mom controls the money."

"Well, we have that in common then." Jellal divided the remaining whiskey between their mugs. "What will you do?"

"Throw the boxes away and pretend they don't exist."

"Is that your own message to her?"

"It's my way of not responding to what isn't the first or last attempt by her to control my life. I agreed to go to school at home in California and I took a job she approved of!" Erza was visibly more sloshy than she'd been twenty minutes before. "I even got engaged!"

Jellal quirked an eyebrow. He'd been curious about Erza for months. Most of his questions revolved around why such an educated woman was seeking employment as a nanny when she was so grossly over qualified. He could admit he had an inappropriate crush on her and the mention of a fiancé intrigued him.

"And yet, here you are husbandless."

"Smooth, Jellal," she said around another laugh. "He was a possessive idiot. I wanted to work, he said no. I _demanded_ to work, he told me I was difficult."

"Are you?"

"What?"

"Difficult."

Erza turned to face him fully and bit her lip in a grin. "You tell me."

"I find you extremely easy to get along with and a _delight_ to be around." Completely without reservation he reached up to touch a strand of her hair that clung to the fleece shoulder of her sweater. "Even if you do shock me sometimes to make yourself laugh."

"That's just part of my charm," she said softly, inching toward him. "And you're easy to fool. You take everything literally."

"My mother insisted I was a charming boy but far too serious as a student. She passed away almost ten years ago."

"I'm sorry," Erza whispered.

He shrugged. "It's been a long time and she had a happy life."

"So there's parts of you that aren't lost up in the stars?" Erza blushed and cleared her throat when he tilted his head to the right. He didn't remember telling her his field of study. "You left some books out a few weeks ago. I was curious."

"I wouldn't have minded if you'd asked."

"I didn't want to pry."

"I wouldn't have considered it prying."

She smiled again and leaned into the brush of his fingers against her cheek. "What are you studying, Jellal?"

"Astrophysics."

"Sounds complicated."

"There's a lot of complicated parts of my life but astrophysics isn't one of them."

"Yeah?"

"For example, my current conundrum."

"Which is?"

"You."

"What about me?"

"I can't seem to stop thinking about you in a way an employer should never think of his nanny."

"That's an interesting coincidence," Erza said wrapping her fingers around his wrist. "Because I can't seem to stop thinking about _you_ in a way a nanny should never think of her employer."

She didn't pull his hand away and when his fingertips brushed the curve of her neck she only tightened her grip on his wrist. Jellal moved like a man who'd never kissed anyone before, even though he had plenty of experience. The awkwardness didn't ease off until his lips finally pressed against hers. She tasted like whiskey and honey and tea and when she parted her lips to kiss him back there was a hint of the peppermint candies Yukino liked to crunch on when she needed a sugar fix in the late afternoon.

Erza was intoxicating. Even more so than the whiskey in his stomach. Her arms looped around his neck and Jellal didn't realize his hand had slipped beneath the bottom of her fleece sweatshirt until the pads of his fingers made contact with her back. He pulled her flush against him and the sound that came from her mouth flipped his stomach upside down. There was something about the way she kissed him and the way her hair slid through his fingers. He liked that her eyes smiled right along with her mouth and how she was so completely competent in all the ways he wasn't.

The sound of Lily's claws skittering across the floor tiles shattered the moment. Erza gasped and jumped back. She blinked and her hand flew to her lips in surprise.

"Am I fired?" she gasped in horror.

Jellal's head still felt full of the taste of her lips and he took a moment to focus past the memory and the lingering buzz. _"What? No!"_ He exclaimed, stumbling over the words. "Why would you be fired?"

"For sexually harassing you," she whispered.

"You... you think you were sexually harassing me? _Jesus,_ Erza, I think by all standards I was the one sexually harassing you! I'm so sorry!"

"No, no, you're just drunk!"

"That's not really better."

Erza bit her lip again and raked a hand through her hair. "We're both not quite... sober."

Jellal took a step back from her and hid his hands in his pockets. He didn't _want_ to move away from her but he _had_ to. "What can I do to fix it? Please don't quit."

"I don't want to quit," she whispered.

"Erza, I swear I can do better than this. I'm not a guy who just blunders ahead kissing people with no thoughts on - I mean, I realize that's what I just did but -"

She reached out suddenly and gripped his forearm. "Stop."

"Okay," he whispered, unable to disobey her.

"We're both adults. I work for you and there's a mutual attraction. We had some drinks and had a moment. We can get past this."

"Yeah," he agreed, even though he didn't actually want to get past anything. He wanted to kiss her again. Cold reality rattled in his head when Lily hopped up to the counter between them. "I actually had a reason for coming down here."

Erza released his arm and pulled Lily against her chest. "And that was?"

"I'm going away for two weeks. I need to complete the last of this credit before the new year. Everything after that can be done with my professor here but I can't get around the requirement." Jellal scrubbed his hands over his face and sighed. He _felt_ sober in his head but his body still hummed. "I'll be back three days before Christmas."

"I can handle all that. Sorano's winter break starts in a couple of days."

"I need to be back in Palo Alto by next Monday so I'm flying out on Sunday. I was hoping to get a ride to the airport with you and the girls?"

"I think Yukino would like that. She'll miss you."

"She's attached." Jellal sighed. "That's why I, we can't lose you, Erza. I'm sorry for kissing you."

"I care about the girls, and _you,"_ she tacked on quickly. "I shouldn't have _let_ you kiss me."

Jellal nodded. "I'll email you my itinerary."

"Yeah."

They stood silently in the kitchen before Erza swept past him still clutching Lily to her chest.

* * *

He hadn't expected to feel homesick after only a week in Palo Alto but when his mind wasn't detangling theory, he was stuck back in Seattle. Were the girls okay? He knew they were. Yukino, and even Sorano, Skyped him almost every night. Despite her independent nature, Sorano asked him more than once when he was coming back. Erza was always in the background, folding down sheets and blankets. He couldn't help but get hung up on the way wisps of hair fell around her face as she leaned over the beds. The trails of scarlet had almost all his attention when his nieces spiraled into the inevitable scuffle.

"Will you be home for Christmas?" Yukino asked, adjusting her purple boa.

"I'll be home on the twenty-second," Jellal said, adjusting his glasses and glancing over his phone calendar. "That's in five more days."

"Five days?" Yukino whispered fretfully. "Are you sure you won't forget?"

"He's an _astrologer,_ Yuki, he only forgets silly stuff like scarves," Sorano corrected. Erza could be heard in the background laughing.

"I promise I won't forget."

"Can we do the cookies when you get home? Erza said we should wait for you."

"That sounds like fun." Jellal's phone chimed with a message from his classmate. "Alright, girls, pass me off to Erza. I think it's probably bedtime."

There was a combined chorus of protests and the tablet was left to fall on its back. For several moments all he could see was the ceiling but he heard Erza coaxing the girls into bed. The room went dark and he saw nothing at all until the low light of the hallway made the falling bun of Erza's hair glow.

"So what's your sign?" He asked in the flirtatious tone that seemed to sneak into all their private Skype conversations.

"That's the worst pickup line I've ever heard," she said with a laugh.

"I just figured that since I'm an astrologer now I should try and calculate your future."

Erza laughed again softly and propped the tablet against the lamp he knew sat on the tea table beside the living room couch. She leaned against the arm and gathered her hair over her shoulder.

"I'm a Taurus."

Jellal tapped out a quick google search and ignored the messages from his classmate. "According to my crystal ball, you're patient, sensible, and reliable with an excellent sense of humor."

"Does it count as a sense of humor when it's just me saying things to throw you off guard for my own pleasure?"

"I think it does."

"What does your crystal ball say about my immediate future."

"I'm seeing strawberry vanilla macarons and the chamomile tea you save for just before bed."

Erza's cheeks dusted a shade pink he recognized even in the lamplight. "That's a very observant crystal ball you have there."

"It wouldn't be doing its job if it weren't observant. It helps that the subject is so captivating," he said softly.

"And what about you?" she asked in a low volume that matched his. "What's in your future?"

"A boring chat with a classmate and a night of exhausting study. The ball is clouded, though, which means I'm distracted."

"By what?"

"Everything I miss that's not here," he hedged.

"You'll be back soon."

"Yeah." The word came out as a whisper and his phone chimed again.

"You should answer that." Erza sat up and glanced over her shoulder toward the kitchen. "I'm late for my date with cookies and tea."

"Right."

"Goodnight," she said with half a grin.

"Goodnight, Erza." When her image disappeared, Jellal flipped over on his back. He had work to do but he couldn't think of anything other than strawberry vanilla macarons and chamomile tea.

* * *

Yukino took the longest to fall asleep. She wouldn't let go of his sweater sleeve until her eyes drifted closed. Her purple boa had been passed down to the stuffed polar bear that sat at the foot of her bed along with the remains of the candy and trinkets that filled her stocking earlier that morning. The new boa, a bright pink one, hung from the post of her headboard.

Sorano's blankets were tangled around her knees and ankles. She scowled in her sleep when he pulled everything free and tucked her in properly. Despite being difficult sometimes she was just as insecure as Yukino. She slept surrounded by an army of stuffed animals. None of them matched but she always noticed when one went missing.

Jellal took one last look around the room before pulling the door closed. The second floor tended to be the warmest in the house but he wasn't quite ready to be alone just yet.

He found Erza stretched across the couch with Lily on her chest. Her fingers smoothed over the grouch of a cat's downy ears. The rainbow sweater Sorano had picked out for him was draped over the pillows behind Erza's head. Lily probably hassled Erza to get it off him the second Sorano was out of view. Jellal could hear the rumbling purr from the archway.

"That cat is a ham," he said, taking a seat on the floor near her feet. She wore the fuzzy socks he'd given her to make up for her mother's gift of plane tickets. He owed her a much better gift for taking such good care of his nieces but the socks made her smile.

Christmas was a wholly different experience with children. The day started early and now all he wanted was _this._

"He and I have grown to love one another." As if to drive the point home, Lily stretched one paw toward Erza's shoulder and squeezed his yellow eyes shut. "See? He's a sweetheart."

"He's an old grouch that only likes girls."

"I think you're jealous."

"Very." Jellal grinned at her boldly. "He's got the best seat in the house." Since his return from Palo Alto the Skype flirting had turned into something much more tangible.

Erza rolled her eyes and hefted Lily up to the back cushions. He protested but resettled quickly. Jellal twisted around and crawled over her. She was soft beneath him and her fingertips lightly traced the tattoo that stretched over his eye and cheek.

"I know we agreed to -"

"Get past this?" she finished with a breath.

"I don't know if I want to."

"I definitely don't want to."

When he kissed her this time there wasn't a drop of alcohol in his system. The sticky fuzz in his head was all Erza. She was sharp like peppermint and sweet like sugar cookies and rich like red velvet. He knew he shouldn't take too much but she bent her leg and he felt her thigh press into his side. Erza didn't let him simply lay over her and take. Her hands were beneath his sweater and he knew she felt him hardening between her legs.

The sound of her ringtone was jarring. Erza slid her arms around his waist quickly and trapped him between her thighs.

"Who's that?" He breathed against her lips.

"It's nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

The phone went silent and he felt her smile. But she groaned loudly when the ringtone started over a moment later. Jellal dropped his mouth to her neck and left three kisses before pulling back.

"You really should take that. It could be important."

Erza exhaled harshly and snatched her phone from the tea table. "Mom always ruins everything." Her eyes found his again and she was apologetic. "I'm sorry. She won't go away unless I speak to her."

"It's fine," he said scooting back to the other side of the couch. "We really shouldn't -"

"No," she whispered. "We shouldn't. Merry Christmas, Jellal."

Erza cleared the living room and he heard her finally take her mother's call on the way up to her apartment. Jellal glared at Lily who only swished his tail.

"Somehow I think think this is your fault," he said to the old cat. Jellal stood and pulled the lamp cord before taking the stairs back up to the second floor. His bed was cold but what did he expect? The idea of warming it with Erza was ludicrous. He did actually know better than to dry hump her on the couch where either one of the girls could see.

No more kissing. No more _anything._ He was a grown man with sense. No more making out with the nanny.

He _could,_ however, tend to the hard problem between his own legs. In his head he could have her any way he wanted with no repercussions. Professional or otherwise.

* * *

The girls never made it to midnight. Jellal rung in the new year alone while Erza, Sorano, and Yukino slept on the couch. One at a time he transferred his nieces to their beds and when he returned downstairs alone, Erza was awake and confused.

"Did I miss everything?"

"More or less," he said with a grin, swooping down to pick up the piles of throw pillows that had been kicked to the floor by little feet. "I expected as much from the kids but you, Erza? Disgraceful."

"I suppose I'm getting up there in age," she agreed with a sigh.

"Maybe we should go back to calling the third floor a _granny's quarters."_ He wasn't fast enough to dodge the pillow lobbed at his head.

"I was going to offer you some of the belated Christmas gift I got from a friend but now I don't think you deserve it." She stood and fluffed her hair.

"If it's more macarons I think I can live without the extra sugar."

"Not even close," Erza laughed. "Come upstairs with me and bring some glasses."

Jellal grabbed two of the small glasses typically reserved for juice and followed Erza to the third floor. He hadn't been up to her apartment since just before she moved in. Considering recent developments he wondered if he should really be up on the third floor at all.

He stopped at the open doorway and almost didn't recognize the space. She'd filled it with her own belongings and everything about it screamed _Erza._

"Wow," he murmured. "I never thought this suite would look like anything other than an empty dorm.

"I'm taking that as a compliment," she said pulling a box from the cabinet above her small refrigerator. It had a gold leaf logo embossed on the side he couldn't quite make out.

"I meant it as one." Erza smiled at him and waved him over to her table - or maybe it was a desk. However she used it, the thing was solid wood and he appreciated the deep cherry of the grain. Erza opened this gift box with much more care than the one sent by her mother.

"My best friend from childhood married a guy who's family owns a vineyard. She sends me bottles of all kinds of stuff. This brandy is her new favorite thing." She peeled back the foil and twisted the cap off. Jellal handed over the glasses and when she poured small portions he caught the hints of vanilla. Upon closer inspection, the scent was very strong. He was glad the stuff tasted sweeter than it smelled.

"I'm not much of a brandy drinker but this is nice."

"Yeah?" Erza knocked back the whole measure at once and took a moment to form her own assessment. "This is totally not my thing," she said with a laugh even as she poured a second round.,

"It's a nice bottle though." He picked up the bottle and inspected the label.

"She's got entire shelves filled with fancy bottles."

"Full ones?"

"Oh, no," she laughed again. "Mirajane's always been a bit of a lush. The bottles probably don't have time to collect dust and sit in various states of half-empty."

"So she has an experienced palette?"

"Indeed." Erza said leaving her empty glass beside his on the table. "I asked you up here for two reasons, actually. The brandy was only half of it."

"What's on your mind?"

"You." She shook her head and tossed her hair. "Us. I mean, _this."_ Erza gestured between the two of them. "We're both adults and this thing where we kiss and hump like teenagers on the couch and then back away like it was nothing but a big _oops_ is ridiculous."

She was speaking very fast and Jellal quirked an eyebrow. He'd never seen her both determined and buzzed before.

"I _like_ you, Jellal, but I also like my job. I can't keep up with these random moments of crashing into one another."

"Erza -"

She pressed a hand to his chest and shook her head. "I have a solution."

"Oh," he breathed in relief. For a moment he thought she'd planned on telling him everything was over as her New Year's resolution, which, he recognized would be completely fair. Her hand slid over his chest and up to his shoulder.

"I can compartmentalize if you can. During the day nothing changes. I do my job, and you finish your degree. Once the girls are in bed, we can set aside time." She bit her lip in reservation. "Right? That's a good plan, yeah? I can't take wild abandon, Jellal. It's too risky."

"You really thought this through."

"I'm sensible, remember?" She smiled and suddenly there wasn't much space between them. "I can't have an affair with my boss if there's no plan."

"This is how I know I made the right choice hiring you, Erza," he whispered, seeking her lips. "You're so smart and practical.

Kissing Erza was the most selfish brand of wish fulfillment. He shouldn't be in her apartment at all much less tangling his fingers in her hair. They'd never been so _alone_ before and the palms of his hands didn't hesitate to find the bare skin beneath her shirt. Erza's fingers hooked in the belt loops of his pants and she separated her lips from his. Her eyes pinned him to the floor as she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it aside. Jellal followed her across the small living space into her bedroom and his shirt joined hers on the floor.

All of her skin was soft and he took the opportunity to kiss every inch of it. She had a symphony of gasps and sighs. He hoped he'd have the opportunity to hear them all. Erza was practically perfect in every way. Where he pushed, she pulled. When he breathed in, she breathed out. She was both overwhelming and precise. The feel of her body beneath him was so much more exquisite now that there were no layers between them but the _real_ delicacy of the evening was her weight above him. Erza had a touch that seared him all the way though. Her final sigh of the night was possibly the most decadent thing he'd heard in his life.

Scarlet touched him everywhere and he curled strands of it around his fingers. Erza hadn't moved off him and he wasn't going to be the one to break the spell of the moment. Finally she leveled her eyes with his and kissed him in a way that made him want her again.

"Can we do this?" She asked against his lips. "Or was tonight a New Year's one off?"

"I can keep the downstairs and upstairs separate, Erza. I like you too and I don't have one offs. I wouldn't be here if I didn't feel something."

Erza smiled and kissed him again, softer this time. "You should go before you fall asleep and the girls find us up here."

"Have they come up here on their own before?"

"Only a couple of times while you were away. But if they woke up and you weren't in your room, the next place they'd hit would be here."

"I'm sure you're right." Even as he said so, he didn't move. She kissed him once more before sitting up and tucking the sheet under her arms. Jellal gathered his clothes and stood. "I'll see you at breakfast, Erza."

She grinned and fell backwards into her pillows. It wasn't until he crawled beneath his own blankets that he realized he'd left his t-shirt on the third floor.

* * *

 _Spring_

"Why do I have to make one for everybody in my class?" Sorano asked from her seat at the kitchen table. "I don't even like everybody!"

"Because it's polite," Jellal said over his shoulder. Dinner looked questionable but Erza had the night off. He already had the pizza delivery app open just in case things went south.

"Sometimes being polite sucks," Sorano declared, sealing off the last envelope. Yukino giggled from her spot across from her sister where she drew sloppy pink and red hearts over Sorano's extra cards.

"That's a sad fact of life," Jellal muttered.

"What's for dinner?" Her voice was from directly beside him now. Sorano leaned over and peered into the pan. "Should it smell like that?" She whispered.

"I followed all Erza's instructions." Jellal slighted and transferred the cut of meat to a board. "Let's find out."

The beef was crisp and brown on the outside but the inside was another story.

"I think it's still mooing," Sorano said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I think you're right." He hated to waste the meat so he moved it to a baking dish for Erza to sort out another time. "Pizza then?"

"I'll get your phone."

Jellal spun around and took a seat next to Yukino. "These are pretty."

"Thanks!" She pushed an especially garish one toward him and tossed the edge of her pink feather boa over her shoulder. "This one's for you."

"For me?" He exclaimed. "Thank you! I'll put it on my desk."

"Are you gonna make Erza a card, Uncle Jellal?" She asked softly. _Innocently._ Even though she couldn't possibly know how he spent his late nights, the question still floored him.

"Why would I make Erza a Valentine's Day card?" He tried to pose the query as casually as possible.

"Because you like her hair." Yukino glanced up at him and smiled in her sweet way. "Is red your favorite color?"

"Well -"

Sorano leaned over the table and passed Jellal his phone. "You look at Erza the way the farm boy looks at Buttercup in that movie Yukino likes so much."

"I don't -"

"Can we order pizza now?" Sorano cut him off and he wasn't altogether sorry.

The three of them ate at the kitchen table and afterward Jellal helped Sorano pack away her cards in her backpack. Erza didn't return home until very late. Jellal was already in his bed with his laptop when she stopped by his bedroom door on her way upstairs.

"I'm assuming the pizza boxes in the garbage are a good indicator that dinner didn't turn out?"

Jellal pulled the glasses from his face and began to clean the lenses. "I don't think a successful roast is ever in my future."

"Did your crystal ball tell you that?" She asked softly with a grin that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"No, Sorano did. I put it back in the fridge. Maybe it's salvageable."

"Maybe." Erza fidgeted with the cuffs of her jacket.

"What's wrong?"

"My mom flew up to see me," she whispered. Jellal tried to keep his reaction as calm as possible. "I had dinner with her tonight."

"And how did that go?"

Erza sighed heavily and Jellal set aside his glasses and closed his laptop. He crossed the room and pulled her gently beyond the door and pushed it closed.

"You don't have to talk about it, Erza," he whispered, leaving a kiss on her forehead. "I've never seen you this down before."

"We fought. She backed off in the end but I don't think everything she said was wrong." Erza's eyes were wary and he hated it. He didn't like acknowledging that their relationship was not only deeply flawed but possibly temporary. "She accused me of fucking my boss to pad my resume."

Jellal tried to remain impassive but he knew he failed miserably. "Is that -"

"No, of course not!" Erza scowled and pushed past him. She shrugged off her jacket and tossed it on an empty chair. "I don't mean to be rude, Jellal, but I could have a job in just about any school in Seattle if I wanted. When it comes to early education I don't have to pad anything."

Jellal wished his pajama pants had pockets. His hands landed on his hips because he didn't know where else to put them. "Is that what you want? I don't think I can match a proper salary or benefits or -"

Erza's arms slid around his waist and she pressed her face into his chest. "I'm not saying that's what I want. I don't even think she meant what she said."

"How does she know that we - I mean -"

"My mother is a shrewd woman. She probably has an actual crystal ball. She said my life is out of control and I don't know what I'm doing." When Erza pulled away her cheeks were wet. "She's right, Jellal, I don't know what I'm doing."

"This is my fault. I should've never -"

"We went into this together, Jellal," she whispered. "I hate that she made me feel insecure about a decision I - we made. My feelings haven't changed."

The words were heavy on the tip of his tongue and he couldn't have stopped them if he'd tried. "I don't think mine ever will." It was a dangerously bold thing to admit but he didn't regret it.

Her mouth didn't fall open. Her eyes didn't widen. She only kissed his lips and took his confession inside of her. For better or worse, Erza never made it up to the third floor that night.

* * *

She didn't mention her mother again and Jellal didn't ask. He thought if she had more to say on the matter, she'd bring it up herself.

Jellal's intent wasn't to eavesdrop. The hour was late and after spending most of his day stuck in his office, he'd only meant to seek her out to say good night. He heard Erza's voice first and her mother's over a phone speaker second.

"Mom, it doesn't matter. I need to be on my own."

"Oh, honey, you aren't on your own. You've gone from living off one trust to another. This one just comes with an attractive employer who doesn't mind fishing off the company dock."

"I'm not a _fish,_ mother."

"I never said you were, Erza, it's a figure of speech. I just think -"

"I already know what you think," Erza snapped. "You said enough at dinner last week. I need you to give me space."

"Erza, love, the last time I gave you space you brought home Simon. How can I be sure this Fernandes man isn't the same type? He _is_ dabbling with the help."

"I'm not - wait, what?" Jellal heard a fumbling noise and what sounded like blankets being shaken out. "What do you mean about Simon? I dated him to please _you!"_

"Why on earth would you think an oaf like that would please me? Both he and his father were insufferable."

"But… He was in my class and a legacy and -"

"Honestly, Erza, sometimes I think you don't know me at all."

"That's the most relatable thing you've ever said to me," Erza muttered.

"I think it's possible we're both reading the same book, love, but we're on very different pages. I trust your judgement when it comes to what you do with your degree or where you find employment. You are a capable woman in all ways."

"Mom," Erza's whisper was the quiet kind that came before tears.

"I only worry that give too freely. You're a natural nurturer, Erza. This man, your employer, what does he want from you? What does he stand to gain by having you in his bed? Is he the type to get bored and put you out?"

"No," she said quickly. "I don't think so."

"Do you love him?"

"I -"

Jellal couldn't catch a breath. He really should've left Erza to her phone call but his feet felt as if they were cemented to the floor.

"Does he love you?" Her mother pressed.

"I don't know."

Jellal's stomach and heart sank. How could she not know? He supposed that would be because he'd never explicitly told her.

"Can we continue this another night, mom? It's been a long day."

Jellal didn't stick around to hear the conclusion. He also had no interest in getting caught in the stairwell. As quickly and quietly as possible he retreated to his bedroom on the second floor.

Just after midnight the door cracked open and Erza slid through the darkness and under his blankets. Nothing was kept quarantined on the third floor anymore. Secrets were so hard. Her hands didn't wander beneath his clothes and her kisses weren't lustful precursors. She didn't say a word before tucking herself into his side.

When Jellal woke in the morning, she was gone and the sheets were cold.

* * *

The cupcake top smeared with green icing for Saint Patrick's Day left Jellal's fingers stained with color. He stopped off in the bathroom on the ground floor of the building but couldn't quite soap away the green. He supposed the embarrassment of green fingertips was not worse than hurting Yukino's feelings if he'd rejected the offering.

His sister's attorney occupied the entire seventh floor. Jellal wondered how a woman like Ms. Milkovich managed to retain such a friendly receptionist when he'd pegged her for a shark on their first meeting. The receptionist showed him down the hallway and through the office doors - no conference room this time.

"Mister Fernandes," Ms. Mlkovich purred, standing from her desk and offering her hand. She waited for him to come to her with a smile like knives. "How's everything coming along at home?" She asked as if she didn't already know. "I understand that soon I'll need to address you as _Doctor_ Fernandes?"

"Mister if fine," he muttered.

"Whatever you prefer." She pointed at a cluster of chairs. Her nails were a deep blood red. The cushioned chairs felt as if they'd swallow him up. "What can I do for you today, Mister Fernandes?"

"I, uh, I just needed some clarifications on what happens once I graduate. I received an email from -"

"Navient, I assume? Your student loans and associated debts have been handled, Mister Fernandes."

"Right. Well, I don't exactly know -"

"You're free to seek whatever employment you like."

"As long as we stay in Seattle."

"Those are the conditions of the trust, yes. I'm sure someone like yourself won't have a problem landing a position. Especially when the salary isn't as much of a concern as it would be for someone else."

"The trust does relieve those types of concerns, yes."

"How is Miss Scarlet working out for you?" Jellal wasn't sure if Ms. Milkovich's expression sharpened or if it was his conflicted conscience that made it seem so.

"She's great. The girls love her and she handles everything I can't."

"She's a lovely woman."

"Uh," Jellal readjusted himself in his chair. "She is."

"Very capable."

"Yes."

"Incredibly overqualified for her position, though. I can't imagine what sorts of perks you had to offer her besides going over the suggested salary we discussed."

"I'm sorry, what?"

Ms. Milkovich sighed in a deceptively casual way. "Have you spent much time with her?"

"I do see her every day."

"Will you keep her on when Yukino starts school in the fall?"

Jellal's mouth hung open dumbly. His mind wheeled.

"You won't need a full-time nanny once the little one is in school."

"I - I hadn't considered -"

"I wouldn't imagine you've considered much at all Mister Fernandes. Has Miss Scarlet grown on you?"

"She -" Jellal deflated and wanted to implode in on himself. "I slept with her."

"Of course you did."

"It's been going on for months."

"These things happen." Her tone was sympathetic but her mouth was positively deadly.

"It's completely unethical."

"And why is that? Did you force her?"

"No! It's nothing like that!"

"So she willingly seduced her employer?"

"It's not like _that_ either!"

"Then tell me how it is, Mister Fernandes. What exactly is the bee in your bonnet? Is it that you've become a ridiculously cliche man who bangs the nanny?"

"That's a crass way of putting it."

Ms. Milkovich shrugged. "If it helps, she's technically an employee of the estate, not you. I suppose if you _truly_ wanted to get technical, you're an employee of the estate, as well."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You provide a service for the deceased's children. You raise them and see them safely into adulthood and their own inheritance in exchange for your life as it currently is. Resources, Mister Fernandes. I work for the children in trust until they come of age, and you work for me. _Technically,_ Miss Scarlet works for me, as well."

"Are you going to fire her?" He whispered in horror.

"Why would a fire a woman who, by all accounts, we are lucky to have?" Ms. Milkovich straightened in her chair. "Mister Fernandes, I don't care what you and Miss Scarlet do on your own time. If you want to keep her on as a caregiver even after Yukino starts school, that's not my concern. I can't deny that the children benefit from her presence, and as I've said before the best interests of the children are my job."

"I don't know what to do."

Ms. Milkovich stood and smoothed her skirt. "Find a therapist if you're so conflicted, Mister Fernandes. You can certainly afford one."

* * *

 _Summer_

The girls had been giggling and calling him _Doctor_ for days. Jellal didn't think he felt any different, though. He'd been offered a position at the University of Washington, which, felt sudden but he had no reason to decline. The commute would be taxing but he was already familiar with the department.

Yukino's fourth birthday party was a day filled with pink and purple feathers, balloons, and a display of cupcakes that took up half the kitchen table. Erza had handled the guest list and planning. Everything went smoothly until Jellal found himself cornered in the kitchen by the mother of a child in one of his niece's playgroups. He didn't know her name at all, which made the whole situation worse.

"I find it hard to believe an attractive man like yourself will be a single father for long," she said, licking a glob of pink icing off her fingertip.

"Well, I'm not really looking to -"

"Men always say that. _Everybody's_ looking for something."

"I'm pretty busy actually. The girls, and school, and now this new job -"

"I heard you had a fancy job in the city."

"Well, Bellevue is still part of the city so -"

She closed in on him like a tiger. "You talk a lot." She leaned against the counter next to him so that they were touching. "Maybe we could go out sometime and do less talking?"

A spike in the sound of children shrieking startled him but the woman didn't budge an inch.

"I think, uh -"

"Hey, Jenny," Bisca's voice made him jump and he'd never been happier to have the woman grab the room by the horns. "Your daughter is out there smearing blue shaving cream all over her cute little dress."

"It's wa-" Jellal snapped his mouth shut when Bisca's glared at him.

The woman, Jenny, smiled up at him once more before brushing past Bisca.

"You really know how to get yourself in a pickle don't you, Jellal?" She asked, plucking one of the last cupcakes up for herself.

"I was just standing in here! She descended on me!"

"What's going on?" Erza appeared in the doorway with a half-empty trash bag.

"Jellal got caught in Jenny's net," Bisca said with a wink.

"Oh, no, Jellal, I'm so sorry!' Erza laughed. "I should've warned you about her."

"She's a predator."

"You look like you came out of it okay," Erza said with a smirk. She reached under the sink for a new trash bag and poked him in the ribs on her way back out to the party.

"You two seem close," Bisca said offhandedly, peeling back the cupcake paper.

Jellal's ears burned. "Do we? I mean, she's here all the time so -"

"It's important to like the people who take care of the kids."

"Yeah, I guess."

"How long have you guys been together?"

Jellal froze. "Well she was hired last fall -"

"No, Jellal," Bisca said softly. "That's not what I'm asking."

He slumped against the counter. "Is it so obvious?"

"Not really. I just know you pretty well and I've never seen you so comfortable. It was your pathetic awkwardness that demanded I introduce myself to you in the first place. I felt bad for Yukino when you quite obviously didn't have a clue what you were doing."

"Erza and I are complicated."

"I don't need details, hon. She obviously makes you happy and the girls love her. You'll work it out." Bisca tossed the cupcake paper into the trash bag Erza left behind. "I'll help you guys get rid of the guests. These kids look like they're on their last leg."

When Erza found him again the sun was hidden and he sat alone on the back porch. She plopped down beside him and took the beer bottle from his hand and finished it off.

"Are the girls asleep?" He asked.

"They passed smooth out. I noticed you got all the trash squared away."

"I couldn't stand the thought of waking up to the mess."

"Well, you've set a precedent now. Every party from here on out will have to top the one before it."

"Two of them a year."

"Yep."

"I think I can handle it if you're here too."

Erza's head fell to his shoulder. "Things can't stay as they are, Jellal. Everything changes always."

"I don't want them to change."

She smiled up at him sadly. "You don't get a say in that."

"You're right," he said, staring down at his hands. "I know things can't and won't stay like they are now. But I don't want to lose what we have."

Erza curled her hands around his arm and sighed. "I don't either."

* * *

 _Autumn_

Jellal pulled into the driveway and slid the key from the ignition. The day had been gruelingly long. Had he been so obnoxious as a postgrad? He'd like to think he wasn't. The students he worked with annoyed him more than his nieces on their very worst days.

The house smelled like food and he made a quick stop in his office to shed his work thing. When he finally made it to the living room, Sorano nearly gave him a heart attack with a backflip off the couch.

"You're home!" She exclaimed. "Erza said I could take gymnastics classes!"

"I said you could ask him about it," Erza called from the kitchen.

"We'll talk about it this weekend," he said as Sorano attached herself to his arm. "There's a place on 112th I pass every day."

Sorano squealed and darted off toward the stairs. Jellal passed the pile of backpacks and Erza's heels on his way to the kitchen. All their belongings mixed together now and the chaos of it eased him. He found both Erza and Yukino in the kitchen.

"Will you help me with my homework?" Yukino asked from the table.

"They give homework in pre-k now?"

"It's just a coloring page," Erza said, pushing out a chair for him with her foot. "She did do a first grade level worksheet in my office today, though. So that's interesting."

"More math stuff?"

"We can have her tested next year when she starts kinder."

"How was your day?" He asked, sliding an arm around her shoulder. His fingers tangled in her hair the way they always did.

"Long," she sighed. "But I like it. The school is great and I think it's a good fit for me."

"Erza said I could keep snacks in my own box in her office for when I sit with her in the afternoons," Yukino piped up. "I can even have a nap on the play mats!"

'Are you sure you don't want to be in the play gym with the other kids?" Erza asked. "I'd hate for you to be bored with me."

Yukino smiled and gathered her crayons back into the tin. "Nope. I like the quiet and you're my favorite besides Sorano and Uncle Jellal."

She disappeared into the living room with her pink feather boa trailing behind her. Jellal turned to Erza and grinned in the way he'd resigned himself to recognize as sappy.

"You love me right" He asked. "I'd understand if -"

"Oh, shut up, Jellal." She leaned in to kiss him briefly before standing. "I'm happy."

Erza pulled a perfectly cooked roast from the oven and Jellal vaguely wished he could understand the magic behind cooking large cuts of meat slowly over several hours.

"By the way," Erza said, reaching for the knife block. "My mother is flying up in two weeks. She wants to meet you and the girls. I think Sorano will love her."

Jellal's entire body clammed up. Of course Sorano would love her. She loved all things commanding and bossy. He sucked in two deep breaths before deciding Erza's mother couldn't possibly be any more frightening than Ms. Milkovich.

 _Could she?_


End file.
